OPINION
When Aston Villa fans saw star striker Tammy Abraham limp off with an injury against Bolton Wanderers, they must have been fearing what might lie ahead in terms of their push for promotion.
Having launched themselves up the table and into the play off spots with a sensational run of form, Dean Smith’s men would have surely been worrying about whether they could keep it up with the Chelsea loanee missing, especially if he is forced to sit on the sidelines for an extended period of time.
The Villans look destined for the play offs and having Abraham, one of the most lethal hitmen the second tier has to offer this season, absent is going to do their hopes no good whatsoever.
However, the man who replaced the English ace versus the Trotters, Keinan Davis, might have been secretly celebrating his teammate’s misfortunes, as it has provided him a rare chance to shine among the senior side.
The 21-year-old has been rarely seen all season, with Monday’s 1-0 win over Millwall only his fourth appearance of the campaign, and it has been Abraham’s form, as well as the experience of his rivals for a spot in Smith’s squad, which has limited his options.
If his cameo performance against the Lions is anything to go by, then the manager might just have a secret weapon on his hands.
He looked up for the game from the moment he stepped onto the pitch, battling it out with defenders and showing great technical ability on the ball to cause them all sorts of problems.
His turn of pace and silky dribbling skills are going to be a problem to any defenders lacking in speed, while he could turn a tired side inside out if unleashed from the bench.
Sometimes a little bit of enigmatic skill makes all the difference and considering how impressive he has looked of late, Davis can be Smith’s game changing talent when it comes to sealing promotion.