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Aston Villa injury update ahead of Tottenham clash with Dean Smith set to welcome two back
Aston Villa host Tottenham on Sunday and Dean Smith is set to welcome two key first-team players back to the squad.
Aston Villa: John McGinn gives injury update to Prince William
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith could welcome back two first-team players to the starting line up for Sunday's game against Tottenham at Villa Park. The sides met on the opening day of the season when Spurs recovered from going behind to a John McGinn strike to win 3-1.
McGinn hasn't featured since fracturing his ankle before Christmas but is nearing a return to fitness ahead of the Carabao Cup final and Premier League run in.
The Scottish midfielder isn't the only Villa player to be out of action with Dean Smith's squad missing seven first-team players through injury over the winter break.
Long term absentees Wesley, Tom Heaton and McGinn have been joined by Keinan Davis, Ezri Konsa, Danny Drinkwater and Jed Steer in the treatment room.
But who out of them could return against Spurs? Express Sport takes a look…
John McGinn
McGinn has fast become a key player at Villa Park since joining the club from Hibernian in 2018 and scored the decisive goal in the play-off final.
The 25-year-old isn't fit for the Tottenham game but the Villa boss is optimistic McGinn will return in time for the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City on March 1.
Ezri Konsa
The promising centre-back was substituted in Villa's last Premier League game against Bournemouth.
Smith confirmed afterwards that this was due to a thigh strain and that Konsa needed time off.
However, the 22-year-old signed from Smith's former club Brentford returned to training after four days off and is in line to return against Tottenham.
Danny Drinkwater
Brought in on loan from Chelsea to add cover for McGinn, Drinkwater has struggled to make an impact in his first three games in the second city.
Things got worse for the midfielder, who won the Premier League with Leicester, when he sustained a calf injury in training.
Drinkwater didn't travel to the south coast for the Bournemouth defeat and was given the winter break to recover.
The time off has done the job as Drinkwater is back in contention for Sunday's game and in line for his fourth Villa start.
Wesley and Tom Heaton
Big money signing Wesley and first choice goalkeeper Heaton are both out for the rest of the season with ACL injuries.
Smith acted swiftly in January to bring in Mbwana Samatta and Pepe Reina to replace them and the Tanzanian striker bagged his first Villa goal last time out at Bournemouth.
Keinan Davis
The young striker remains out of contention after sustaining a thigh injury.
Davis is expected to return in the next two or three weeks.