Steve Bruce: Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish has the football skills of a young Paul Gascoigne

Grealish had been in the most consistent form of his career before suffering a calf injury against Blues earlier this month, an issue which was expected to keep him out of today’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday. Villa have struggled in the 22-year-old’s absence, picking up only one point and scoring just one goal in fixtures with Fulham and Preston.

Bruce believes Grealish, who the club are hoping will return for next weekend’s home game with QPR, possesses the same magic which made former England international Gascoigne a fan favourite during his career.

“Jack has a bit of a Gazza about him and I don’t mean off the pitch,” said Bruce. “It is the way he naturally beats people. He is not that quick but he just gets away from people and seems to get even quicker when he is running with the ball.

“He has all the natural ingredients and I will do my best with him.”

Grealish had made significant strides this season after returning from a serious kidney injury which forced him to miss the opening three months of the campaign.

The Villa academy product had for a long time appeared to struggle in the spotlight, having announced his potential with a scintillating performance in the 2015 FA Cup semi-final win over Liverpool.

Bruce added: “We have seen it for six, seven or eight games. You need to do it for 40 to 50 games, then all of a sudden you can be on the pedestal.

“For six or seven games when he came back he was easily the best player in the league and he has to stay there.

“Once he gets fit again, can he stay there?

“Whenever people are fatigued and tired I am going he can come and light the place up the way he has done the last six to eight weeks.”

Bruce believes Grealish’s development has not been helped by the turmoil at Villa during recent years.

The 57-year-old is the club’s fifth permanent manager since Grealish made his first-team debut under Paul Lambert in 2014.

“We all knew about the ability he had at 18. We have given him an environment to go and play - now is the time to grasp it,” said Bruce.

“He has something different, he can get you off your seat.

“He has that natural balance and movement which makes it easy on the eye.

“The real hard parts of football, he makes easy.

“He has the ability to have a wonderful career. He has to learn the other stuff away from here which is really important but since I have been here he has been an absolute gem.”