Steve Bruce calls on Aston Villa strikers to deliver

Villa are set to be without last term’s top scorer Kodjia for at least the first month of the Championship season, as the 27-year-old completes his recovery from a broken ankle.

Bruce will turn to either Gabriel Agbonlahor or Scott Hogan to lead the line in Saturday’s opener against Hull and admits the onus is on both to grasp the mantle in Kodjia’s absence.

“Certainly last year, we relied too heavily on Kodjia,” said the boss. “We need to see the emergence of Gabby. We need to see the emergence of Hogan.

“I’ve got a few young ‘uns. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, I’ve just seen him score behind closed doors at Forest.

“I haven’t really seen him for eight months. We’ve got some sprinklings of some good young players, too. I’ve always said you’re only as good as your strikers so let’s hope that we can score more, certainly.”

Villa were the Championship’s lowest scorers away from home last season and Bruce knows improving that statistic is imperative if they are to mount a promotion challenge.

Hogan scored only once after joining from Brentford in January, while Agbonlahor netted his first in 14 months to earn Villa a derby win over Blues in April.

The 30-year-old, the club’s longest-serving current player, was brought back into the fold by Bruce at a time when it looked his future lay elsewhere and looks destined to play a key role.

“Fair play to Gabby, nobody has worked harder than him,” said Bruce. “He’s grasped the challenge that we’ve set in front of him and the hard work is paying off.

“It paid off in the one game against Birmingham last year. In pre-season last week, he grabbed man of the match in the tournament that we played in. So it’s good to see.

“Let’s be fair, he’s this club’s record goalscorer in the Premier League, so we know he’s got something.

“Fair play to him. I’ve only had a conversation with him. I’m not going to take any credit. He’s done it because he’s wanted to prove a few people wrong. And I’ve given him the platform.”

Ross McCormack remains part of the first-team squad at Villa but is now well down the pecking order and one of several players the club are aiming to move on before the end of the month.

Sunderland are keen to take the Scot on loan, though his £40,000-a-week wages remain a major stumbling block.