Aston Villa vs West Brom: Dean Smiths Best Available Villa Lineup

​Aston Villa host local rivals West Brom on Saturday in the first leg of their Championship play off semi-final at Villa Park.

The Villans' defeat at home to Norwich on the final day of the regular season was their first in 13, having previously broken a 109 year club record of ten consecutive wins to fire themselves into fifth, and a shot at the third and final promotion spot into the Premier League.

That chance didn't look likely throughout the season, even after Dean Smith had left Brentford to join his boyhood club in October.

However, Villa have bought in to his exciting style of quick passing football and will certainly fancy their chances against the Baggies, but will need to improve on their record of no wins against a top four Championship side this season.


Goalkeeper & Defenders

Tyrone Mings,Neil Taylor

Jed Steer (GK) - Spent the first half of the season on loan at League One Charlton Athletic, but was recalled to Villa Park due to injuries to Orjan Nyland and Nikola Kalinic and hasn't looked back since. He was evidently grown in confidence with each passing game and his ability with the ball at his feet will keep him in Smith's side for the play offs.


Ahmed Elmohamady​ (RB) - Since Alan Hutton's injury in February, the Egyptian has been forced to play in his unfavored role at full-back, but has done an adequate job of keeping his discipline while still putting in excellent crosses.


Axel Tuanzebe (CB) - The on-loan Manchester United defender has had a successful second loan spell in B6 and is pacy enough to bail his full-backs out if needs be. With club captain James Chester only just returning from injury, the 21-year-old should keep his place.


Tyrone Mings (CB) - Has been an absolute colossus at the back for Villa since joining on loan from Bournemouth in January, and was a huge factor in their recent record-breaking run. His height, power, intelligence and confidence will ensure the likes of Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez have a difficult afternoon


Neil Taylor (LB) - Previously an afterthought under Steve Bruce, the Euro 2016 semi-finalist has earned his way back into the side with a string of consistent performances, and is effective when covering for Mings when the centre-half carries the ball forward.


Midfielders

Jack Grealish

Glenn Whelan (CDM) - Conor Hourihane will be unlucky to miss out, but in a game of this magnitude and against the second top scorers in the league, Villa will need the defensive steel and experience that the 35-year-old will bring to the side.


Jack Grealish (CM) - Villa haven't lost a game with Grealish in the team since 28 October, earning 28 points in ten games since his return from a three month injury. He earned a place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year and is far too good not to be playing in the Premier League.


John McGinn (CM) - His £2.5m transfer from Hibs may just be the best bit of business Villa have done in the past five years. His relentless hard work, brilliant defensive mind and superb attacking threat rightly made him Villa Fans' and Players' Player of the Year.


Forwards

Albert Adomah,Tammy Abraham

Anwar El Ghazi (RW) - Has had a mixed first season in English football following his loan love from Lille in the summer, with just five goals and six assists in his 31 appearances for the club. However, Smith has shown faith in the 24-year-old, who scored a screamer against West Brom in December.


Tammy Abraham (ST) - Only Norwich City's Teemu Pukki has bettered Abraham's 25 goals this season, the Chelsea loanee becoming the first Villa forward to reach that landmark since 1977. Always a danger in the area, and his linkup play with Grealish in recent weeks has contributed to plenty of goals for his side.


Albert Adomah (LW) - Following the huge personal success of last season, the 31-year-old has has struggled slightly this campaign, but his determination to get back to help his full-back should see him start ahead Jonathan Kodija and young Andre Green.


Source : 90min