Jose: “Let’s go match-by-match”

With the winter break in the rear view mirror, we’re straight back into action at Aston Villa on Sunday, kicking-off a vital spell of matches with everything to play for.

Sitting four points outside the top four, we head to Villa Park determined to close the gap on Chelsea – who we face in a huge London derby at Stamford Bridge next weekend – with the first leg of our Champions League round of 16 tie against RB Leipzig also coming up at the new stadium on Wednesday night.

That’s all without even mentioning a tricky test against Wolves and the FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Norwich City at the start of next month.

For Jose, it’s important to focus on one game at a time.

“It’s a really hard week for us – Sunday Villa, Wednesday Leipzig, Saturday Chelsea – but let’s go match after match,” he said in his press conference today (Friday).

“The first one… I repeat, it’s always difficult at Villa Park. Villa are a good team, fighting to stay in the division, self-esteem really high with the qualification to the Wembley (Carabao Cup) final – a very difficult match.

“We have to go with all the potential we have, forgetting that three days after we have to play Leipzig.”

We confirmed in our team news update earlier that Giovani Lo Celso has returned to training after missing the 3-2 FA Cup replay win against Southampton last time out with a groin problem. Erik Lamela also sat that one out with a thigh injury, while new signing Steven Bergwijn was ineligible to feature, having not been registered for the original tie at St Mary’s. Left-back Ben Davies is also back in training after a long-term ankle injury.

“It’s a little bit better now – no more limitations for Bergwijn so now he can play, Ben Davies is back and ready to play, Giovani Lo Celso is ready to play, Lamela, we have to assess tomorrow but if not for Sunday then for Wednesday, Juan Foyth is out still for a little bit and of course Sissoko and Harry (are out),” said Jose, reflecting on the latest team news. “The situation is getting better for us and it comes at the right time because lots of matches are coming too.”