The Premier League returns this evening with a fascinating clash between Aston Villa and Sheffield United.
After a three month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the remaining 92 games will be played out over the next nine weeks.
There is plenty to still be decided with both Villa and the Blades fighting at either end of the table having had very different seasons since winning promotion from the Championship.
Dean Smith’s side are second from bottom and hoping to avoid an immediate return to the second tier while Chris Wilder’s men have a chance of claiming Champions League football.
Villa will have midfielder John McGinn available but manager Dean Smith is wary of rushing him back. The Scotsman fractured his ankle in December and could be eased back in over the coming, hectic, weeks.
talkSPORT is your home for live football when the Premier League resumes on 17 June with an unprecedented line-up of fixtures, including four back-to-back matches on Saturdays
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Smith said: “John McGinn has been a big boost for us on the training ground. He’s back and played against West Brom and Leicester.
“It’s big to have John back. The rest of the lads have done conditioning work and we’ve had a few niggles, but nothing to concern us.”
Striker Wesley and goalkeeper Tom Heaton continue to be out injured and will not play any part of the final nine weeks of the season. Both suffered season-ending knee injuries and continue their recovery.
Goalkeeper Jed Steer will be back following an Achilles injury meaning Villa will have three goalkeepers to choose from.
Pepe Reina and Danny Drinkwater are on loan from Napoli and Chelsea respectively and are yet to have their deals extended.
The club have until the end of the month but Smith wants as many bodies in as possible for their remaining 10 games.
He said: “I don’t think it has to be done until the end of June so that will be with Suso (sporting director) and the secretary to sort out.
“I am keen for both of them to stay. We are allowed bigger squads now and bigger subs bench, I am keen to have as many as I can.”
Reina made some dire mistakes before the season was suspended to the coronavirus pandemic and although that was three months ago, Villa may not want to risk that continuing to happen.
Orjan Nyland will be pushing for that No.1 spot from Reina and it will be a tight call to see who gets the nod.
How Aston Villa should look…
Sheffield United are set to be without defender Jack O’Connell for the first time this season.
The Blades have had a full squad in training over the last few weeks with any niggling injuries having time to heal over the last three months.
O’Connell picked up a knee injury leading up to the Aston Villa match and will be sidelined with Phil Jagielka likely to take his place.
Manager Chris Wilder had previously said: “Everyone is available, as you’d expect. We had a couple of bangs after Wednesday but the players have got minutes over the last three games and we’ve worked as hard as we can.
“We’ve tried to give them a little bit of everything and it’s a shorter period coming back than, say, a pre-season. But the players have had a responsibility to keep themselves right and that’s what they’ve done. Of course, though, we’ll only really know when we get back out there and the ball starts rolling again.”
Dean Henderson is on the verge of agreeing a loan extension until the end of the season, but that will not affect the rest of the games in June.
Manager Chris Wilder said: “It is in the process in the next couple of days for Dean to stay with us for the rest of the season.”
