OPINION
Aston Villa have been in tremendous form as of late as several players have stepped up.
Yet one player’s impressive displays would have been a surprise for most as no one would have predicted him to wow quite like he has in recent games.
The player in question is none other than Mile Jedinak.
The 34-year-old has actually been handed opportunities to impress in his side’s last four league games, after spending nine games stuck on the bench, and has taken them.
Dean Smith has opted to start using Jedinak as a centre-back rather than a defensive midfielder and he shows all the signs of being unexpected hero in the final run-in.
You have just have to look at his performance in the 1-0 win over Millwall on Monday.
Jedinak was a rock at the back alongside Tyrone Mings as he cleared anything that came his way and ensured he won his aerial duels so that Millwall had nothing to work with.
The Villans player also constantly put his body on the line and it’s that sort of passion and self-sacrifice that could help the club continue their winning run and succeed in the play-off finals.
Jedinak looks transformed from the player who looked a liability in the club’s opening games of the season, and his latest displays mean that fans can completely trust him to deliver the goods.
If you asked most Villans supporters a few weeks ago, who could be a hero for the club in the final portion of the season, not many would have uttered Jedinak’s name.
Yet based on his recent impressive displays and clear transformation, Jedinak is showing all the signs of being the Villan’s unexpected hero when they need him most.