OPINION
Aston Villa are not having the best of times at the moment, and there is one man who is bearing the brunt of the fans.
That is Steve Bruce, who has come under-fire recently due to his side’s mixed fortunes in the Championship this season.
He is undoubtedly aiming to guide them to promotion to the Premier League, but he may have been dealt a blow in the 1-1 draw with Bristol City on Friday evening.
Bruce decided to substitute Tammy Abraham in injury time, and he has lashed out at critics of his decision to take off the 20-year-old striker so late on into the game.
“Do you think I want to take my striker off that late on when we’re trying to get a goal? Tammy was struggling with a calf injury, and might have come off 15 minutes earlier,” he told the Birmingham Mail.
Bruce should not need to defend his decision to take off the young ace – if he had continued to play on, then he may have risked his injury even further, and the manager was right to stand his ground over the hitman.
However, the fact that one of his star players could be out will no doubt come as a blow to his team’s chances at the moment.
Villa have not been the best in front of goal so far this season, and that area may have just taken a turn for the worse now that Abraham could potentially be sidelined.
He is one of their most pivotal players, and they cannot afford to lose him now, as they risk falling further and further behind their rivals for a promotion spot.
Failing to get Villa up at the second time of trying could be embarrassing for Bruce – and if the 6ft 3in [Transfermarkt] attacker is sidelined, the chances of failure only increase.
Abraham is one of their only players who has shown he can be potent in attack – and now Aston Villa face the prospect of having to cope without him.
This is one potential blow that Steve Bruce certainly does not need at the moment, especially when a number of fans are calling for his head.