Aston Villa face anxious wait on Scott Hogan as Steve Bruce offers Ross McCormack 'olive branch'

Hogan was forced off just before half-time in yesterday’s 1-1 draw with Brighton and was seen leaving Villa Park on crutches and wearing a walking boot.

Boss Steve Bruce believes the injury may be similar to that sustained by the 24-year-old at Newcastle in February, which prompted him to miss around a month of action.

Regardless, Hogan’s injury is another unwanted headache for the manager, who already knows he will begin next season without Jonathan Kodjia after the club’s top scorer underwent surgery last week on a fractured fibula.

Villa’s troubles on the forward line place further emphasis on Bruce’s efforts to bring Ross McCormack in from the cold.

The manager has revealed he is willing to work with the Scot so long as he follows a strict fitness programme. McCormack has spent the second half of the season on loan at Nottingham Forest following a public falling out with Bruce in January, when he infamously failed to turn up for training after claiming the electric gates to his home had broken.

The 30-year-old had scored just three times for Villa after joining in a £12million move from Fulham last August.

Bruce said: “Ross will be coming back because he belongs to us,” said Bruce. “We have to put him on a fitness regime.

“The first thing is to get him into optimum physical condition. We have had a conversation about that. The rest is really up to Ross.

“It’s no secret he has had a few personal problems. If he abides by the rules – and he has said he intends to – then we will do everything in our power to get him up and running again. I don’t bear grudges. I want him to focus on one thing - getting his career back on track."

Yesterday's 1-1 draw with Brighton saw Villa finish 13th in the Championship and though Jack Grealish's late goal denied the Seagulls the title, Bruce admitted to being "jealous as hell" of Chris Hughton's team.