Match Day Villa v Leeds

[Blitzballer]

Aston Villa will check on Gary Gardner ahead of Thursday's visit of fellow Championship heavyweights Leeds, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm.

The midfielder picked up a knock towards the end of the first half of Monday's 2-1 win over Burton and was replaced by Jack Grealish at the break.

Ross McCormack will face his former club fresh from scoring the late winner on Boxing Day - his first goal in over three months.

And the striker, who spent four years at Elland Road before moving onto Fulham and then Villa, is confident Steve Bruce's side can continue their upward momentum after a run that has seen them take maximum points from their last five home games.

"Leeds are a good team and are in good form so we need to be at our best. We are confident - we have won five home games in a row, so we need to take that belief into this latest fixture," McCormack said.

"I am looking forward to it. Leeds is one of the clubs that is really close to my heart. It will be a good game, I am sure."

Fellow forward Jordan Ayew is also pushing for a start after climbing off the bench to set up McCormack's strike.

Kyle Bartley will be fit for Leeds despite needing treatment after their 4-1 win over Preston following a clash of heads with Luke Ayling.

Chris Wood and Pablo Hernandez returned from hamstring injuries as substitutes at Deepdale - the latter hitting Leeds' fourth goal - and should be involved again.

Eunan O'Kane (groin) and Charlie Taylor (Achilles) are also close to returning but the game may come too soon.

A victory for Leeds would see them climb above Reading into third but Garry Monk has urged his players to stay focused.

He said: "We have to remember that despite the win (on Boxing Day), are only halfway through the season. We still have another half of the season to go and anything can happen."

 

[KevinMcallister]

hoping for a draw, Villa very good at home

defeat isn't devastating, a win would exceed all my expectations

basically i'm hoping for the game to go ahead

1-1

 

[Blitzballer]

hoping for a draw, Villa very good at home

defeat isn't devastating, a win would exceed all my expectations

basically i'm hoping for the game to go ahead

1-1

why wouldn't the game go ahead?
also think a draw is on the cards

 

[KevinMcallister]

game is going ahead, it was an unwitty quip to do with my indecisiveness for a result

just hearing Kyle Bartley is out injured tonight, ffs that is as big a blow as we could have gotten, midfield injuries we can cope with, defensively we can't, hope cooper is upto the job

 

[Magic]

Yet another injury blow before an important game. Two of our back four injured.

Very much take a point territory now.

 

[Humongous Fungus]

Better team so far, Leeds sadly managed to take the edge out of the game and slow it down.

 

[Super_horns]

Both teams could have nicked it at the end..

 

[JJH]

Cracking finish.

 

[KevinMcallister]

Gutted in the way we drew but delighted with a point

 

[villa loyal]

I'll take that late goal to grab us a point. We still have our boots stuck in the mud but we are slowly getting there.

 

[Magic]

Would have taken that before KO with injuries but nearly executed that perfectly, and then had a couple of good chances to get back in front. Would have been horrific to lose it though in that end-to-end finish.

 

[villa loyal]

Both sides could of won it at the end. Fuck knows what amavi was doing and green pulled off a superb save.

 

[villa loyal]

Leeds have gone from being a bit of a dark horse or the wild card of the pack to being a proper solid team. They have some very good players but the hard work by the whole team is what impresses me. The main reason is Gary monk. Was a bit surprised he took the job to be honest. If Leeds don't make the play offs id be very surprised. I'm just hoping we start clicking a bit better because at the moment we are not good enough. Atleast we have a striker in kodjia who will bang a few in.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Atleast we have a striker in kodjia who will bang a few in.

Yeah, but we're missing him for a month and we're left with the useless McCormack, Agbonlahor and Gestede (apparently soon to be sold). What joy.

 

[villa loyal]

Yeah, but we're missing him for a month and we're left with the useless McCormack, Agbonlahor and Gestede (apparently soon to be sold). What joy.

Kodjia is Scottish isn't he? Let's hope Scotty boy comes good then because he has it in him.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

If he sheds a few pounds, I'm sure he could do alright, he's been nothing but a passenger for us so far, fair enough he scored V Burton, but even that he did his best to fuck up!

 

[Magic]

Leeds have gone from being a bit of a dark horse or the wild card of the pack to being a proper solid team. They have some very good players but the hard work by the whole team is what impresses me. The main reason is Gary monk. Was a bit surprised he took the job to be honest. If Leeds don't make the play offs id be very surprised. I'm just hoping we start clicking a bit better because at the moment we are not good enough. Atleast we have a striker in kodjia who will bang a few in.

That's why they're such a likeable team this year. Superb team spirit and they work their bollocks off to a man in every game.

Performances are getting better if anything and I've seen nothing to suggest we shouldn't finish top six now. Only recent defeats have come against Liverpool, Newcastle and Brighton - with some mitigating factors in there.

Honestly I'm just glad we have a team to be proud of again. We might hit a rough patch and fall short but we actually look like a genuinely good side now - certainly not imposters.

Important point if anything just to keep your boys at bay a bit. Tbh I can only really see yourselves, Fulham and Derby breaking in to the top six so to keep a seven-point break is handy at this stage.

 

[Magic]

Oh and Roofe's done well in recent weeks but Hernandez showed exactly why he's got to be our first choice no. 10 when he came on last night. Class.

 

[KevinMcallister]

changed the game did Hernandez

master at work, mugged off jedinak at one point with sheer skills