Aston Villa duo Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley to face no punishment for breaking coronavirus rules

Smith has spoken to the pair and reminded them of their responsibilities after they were spotted dining together in a London restaurant to celebrate Barkley’s 27th birthday.

But Villa, who have viewed video footage obtained by a national newspaper, do not believe the incident worthy of a formal club sanction.

Though the pair, who both live in tier 2 areas outside Birmingham, did not break any rules by travelling to London, the current guidelines forbid meeting people from different households indoors.

Yet Smith admitted he felt a little uneasy admonishing players for eating together, when they are allowed to do so while training at Bodymoor Heath.

"I have reminded Jack and Ross of their responsibilities but I've also reiterated that to the whole group of players,” Smith told Sky Sports.

“They have responsibilities as representatives of Aston Villa Football Club.

"These are challenging times for all of us. I can't pretend I enjoyed having to explain the latest COVID-19 regulations - that travelling from tier 2 to tier 2 is not a problem but, even though the players all eat together daily, they can't go out for lunch in a restaurant with each other.”

Smith confirmed both players had tested negative for coronavirus earlier this week, though Barkley will miss Saturday’s trip to Wolves with a hamstring injury.

Last weekend was the second time Grealish has been caught breaching coronavirus guidelines.

The 25-year-old issued a public apology and was fined two weeks’ wages back in March after attending a party in Solihull just hours after posting a message urging supporters to stay at home and protect the NHS. Grealish last month admitted two counts of careless driving related to that incident.