Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has confirmed that Tyrone Mings has returned to training ahead of their clash with Southampton this weekend.
Smith says that Mings was back in training on Wednesday after being absent from the matchday squad last weekend against Tottenham.
Twitter: Dean Smith: “@OfficialTM_3 was back in training on Wednesday. He’s a big player for us and he has the qualities to… https://t.co/lurSiWXGJN (@AVFCOfficial)
Mings watched on from the sidelines as Villa lost 3-2 to Tottenham last Sunday, but he could now be fit to face Southampton at St. Mary’s on Saturday.
READ SOUTHAMPTON VERDICT
Mings coming back for Villa could be a huge boost for them, given his performances for the club this season.
He has made a combined 155 blocks and clearances for Villa so far, with Bjorn Engels – on 98 – his closest rival in the Villa squad. This is also the third-highest amount of combined blocks and clearances of any player outside the traditional top-six Premier League clubs, with only Ben Mee and James Tarkowski ahead of him.
These stats highlight Mings’ importance to Villa and the defensive steel he shows when he is on the pitch. He is also a commanding presence at the back, holding the line and barking instructions at his teammates on the pitch to make sure everyone is in position and set to defend. This is why his return could be a boost for Villa and a blow for Southampton.
That being said, Villa do still have the worst defensive record in the division. They have conceded 50 Premier League goals, which suggests that there are areas of Villa’s team which Southampton could look to exploit, even if Mings is in the side.
