Danny Drinkwater's Aston Villa Future in Doubt After Headbutting Teammate in Training

The word crisis is banded around a lot in football media these days. But having one of your January signings headbutt his teammate, mixed in with a terrible run of form and a manager on the brink of being sacked? That's a crisis. 

The midfielder is question is Danny Drinkwater, who could have his contract terminated by Aston Villa following the altercation, while manager Dean Smith is also under immense pressure. 

Danny Drinkwater,Dean Smith

Villa are currently on a horrific run of form, losing each of their last five games in all competitions. That's left them 19th in the ​Premier League table, making recent defeats to fellow strugglers Southampton and Bournemouth all the more troublesome. 


They also experienced Wembley heartbreak earlier this month, falling to a 2-1 loss against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final. Most recently, Villa were thrashed 4-0 by Midlands rivals Leicester. 


The result is understood to have thrown Smith's future as manager into doubt. The ​Telegraph report that another heavy defeat against ​Chelsea on Saturday will raise 'serious doubts' over his ability to orchestrate a push for survival. 


As if that humiliating result wasn't damaging enough, Drinkwater is understood to have been involved in a violent altercation with Jota during training just a day later. 

Danny Drinkwater

The midfielder - who is on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season - is reported by the ​Daily Mail to have entered a war of words with the Spaniard which resulted in the former Leicester man headbutting his teammate. 


Villa are now considering terminating his deal early and he is likely to receive a hefty fine regardless. The incident was the latest setback in what has been a disastrous few years since Drinkwater signed for Chelsea back in 2017. 


After struggling to make an impact at Stamford Bridge following his £35m move, the 30-year-old also had a loan spell at Burnley marred when he was involved in a fight while out in a ​nightclub in Manchester


Drinkwater is just one of several signings who have disappointed at Villa this season. The club spent a whopping £127m on new recruits in the summer and a further three players were brought in this January - yet they still find themselves in the relegation zone



Source : 90min