With Carlton Cole unable to face the team that hold his FA licence and Darius Vassell sidelined for another six weeks with a broken leg, the 18-year-old is keen to make his first Premiership start for the club after nine substitute appearances this term.
The youngster helped the reserves to league success last season and hopes he can make a similar impact for the senior side. “We’ve not had a 20 league goal man since 1980/81 [when Villa last won the title] and I was born in 1986,” he told the club’s official website. “That’s been a long time and it would be nice to be that man.”