Steve Bruce admits Aston Villa still having to "box carefully" with star man Jonathan Kodjia

Kodjia’s return from a broken ankle has coincided with Villa’s climb up the Championship but the 28-year-old, who bagged 19 goals last term, has only found the net once in eight appearances.

Bruce is in no doubt the goals will come but conceded there remains a need to “box carefully” with the £15million hitman before he is back at his peak.

“He will be OK. I am convinced of that. We just have to be patient,” said the boss. “He might need a rest at some points. That might be the case.

“I am not concerned because I know he will always score. I think what we have to weigh up is that he is recovering from a broken ankle.

“He has been out since last season. In pre-season he recovering. He has always been playing catch-up.

“In my experience with injuries they come back with a bang because the adrenaline is running. Then they plateau. We will have to box carefully.”

Bruce has been encouraged by how his team has coped without Kodjia, who was often their sole source of goals last term, being on top form.

Albert Adomah currently leads the way with six for the season, while midfielder Conor Hourihane has five. Teenage star Keinan Davis has meanwhile found the net twice after breaking into the first-team.

Bruce said: “If we were going to be successful we needed people to chip in with goals. We can’t just rely on Kodjia. Too many times last season we did.

“In my experience if you have been out four or five months, you come back with load of adrenaline.

“But you can’t replicate pre-season. We had five weeks off in the summer and six weeks to prepare for the season. They play five or six games to get ready.

“When you have been out four months it is a long time for a footballer. Sometimes you need five or six games which as a manager you can’t wait for.

“It’s difficult but we will manage him. Kodjia is no problem. He will get over and start scoring again. It’s always difficult.”