Aston Villa v West Brom: Dean Smith's side looking to spark a positive end to the campaign

When Dean Smith’s men brushed aside the Baggies 3-0 at The Hawthorns in December they could lay claim to being the Premier League’s most exciting team.

Certainly, no-one is saying that now, after a run of just two wins in 10 matches which has seen hopes of European football evaporate. Villa have scored only eight times during that run and a campaign once brimming with fun has become characterised by frustration.

“I have been frustrated with an awful lot of the games,” admitted Smith yesterday.

“But I think it has just been a really tough part of the season for everyone.

“There doesn’t seem to be an awful lot of rhythm. A lot of teams have had an awful lot of injuries to key players.”

Villa, undoubtedly, have suffered on that score, with the continued absence of Jack Grealish keenly felt.

Yet when assessed as a whole, the true dividing line in their season appears less the moment in mid-February Grealish stepped out of a training session having felt pain in his shin and more January’s Covid-19 outbreak at Bodymoor Heath, which forced Villa out of action for nearly three weeks.

Since returning they have played an average of once every six days and though there have been other factors, such as Grealish’s injury and Ross Barkley’s bewildering loss of form, the plain truth may be that a team who have been playing catch-up for the whole season have simply run out of steam.

Defensively they have remained relatively strong, with Smith yesterday claiming their expected goals against in Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City was the lowest in five meetings with Pep Guardiola’s team over the last two seasons. In attack, however, they have struggled.

“The offensive side is what has dropped off, probably since the Covid break to be honest, even with Jack in the team,” said Smith.

“A few players have been trying to recapture the form they had before – Bertrand Traore, Anwar El Ghazi, Ollie Watkins have not been scoring as freely.

“But it is not for the want of trying. I have said many times my teams normally finish seasons well and I expect them to do so again this season.”

One player who does appear to have rediscovered some form is John McGinn, with the midfielder scoring his first Premier League goal since October against City.

“Certainly after matches a lot of the opposition managers talk about John,” said Smith.

“He looks so unorthodox at times but he is so effective. One of the comments I had the other week was he reminds them of a seventies player at times.

“He is one who can do a little bit of everything. He gets up and down, he gets in the box, uses his buttocks very well and scores goals.

“I am pleased he got his goal the other day. He has been a bit frustrated he has not scored as many this season.”