Aston Villa star John McGinn is believed to be nursing a long-standing thigh injury ahead of a busy period for his side.
Dean Smith’s men faced Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarter final on Tuesday night and will lock horns with Southampton in a crucial Premier League fixture at the weekend.
Villa and Saints are level on points, with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team below Saturday’s hosts only on goal difference, and it is set to be a pivotal match down at the bottom of the table.
McGinn, as per The Daily Mail, has been dealing with a thigh injury for some time now, and has been forced to play through pain with the help of injections of late.
The Scotland international is a mainstay under Smith, and it seems likely that he will remain in Villa’s starting line-up against Southampton.
However, the 25-year-old is evidently not totally fit, and Villa appear to be taking a risk with his fitness.
Read Southampton’s verdict
McGinn is a superb midfielder who has stepped up to the Premier League with ease. He has earned plenty of plaudits this season and deservedly so.
The midfield battle will be crucial on Saturday, and given the recent form of the likes of McGinn and Jack Grealish, it’s hard to see Saints coming out on top.
Either way, this is a vital match for both sides, and if Southampton fail to claim all three points, their woes will only worsen.
