COMMENTARY
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has not had an easy time when it comes to injuries this season and another setback means that he is expected to ring the changes against Queens Park Rangers on New Year’s Day.
With their final game of 2018 ending in a 1-1 draw with Preston North End, the Villans are hoping that they can kick off 2019 with a win in front of their own fans, a task which will not have been made any easier by Orjan Nyland’s injury blow.
Reports state that the shot stopper could be out for the season and with Lovre Kalinic not set to be available until the FA Cup clash later this week, Mark Bunn is set for a second Championship start – but he is not the only returning player to the line up.
The recalled Tommy Elphick is likely to line up alongside Jonathan Kodjia and Albert Adomah in four changes for Smith, James Bree, Ahmed El Ghazi and Yannick Bolasie dropping out after failing to impress against Preston.
The goalkeeping issue is something that should only phase Smith for this one game, Kalinic expected to take the reigns when he finally arrives, while defensive injury issues mean that Elphick is back at Villa Park and in line to start his second game for the Villans this season.
The midfield trio of McGinn, Whelan and Hourihane has been a regular feature and is expected to continue but up front it is nearly all change.
Adomah and Kodjia, who both started on the bench against Preston, look set to return to the starting XI just days after the draw at Deepdale and will be hoping to provide Tammy Abraham with the service to sink QPR.