Jack Grealish ‘ruled out for around a month’ after sustaining shin injury in training this week

Aston Villa‘s captain Jack Grealish has been ruled out for around a month due to an injury he sustained in training.

The 25-year-old midfielder picked up a shin injury earlier this week and subsequently missed Villa’s Premier League defeat against Leicester on Sunday.

Grealish – who hasn’t missed a league outing since November 2019 – will now spend the next month on the sidelines.  

Dean Smith, however, gave little away when he was asked about the status of Grealish’s injury prior to their fixture with Leicester.  

‘He has had some discomfort in training this week,’ Smith told Sky Sports. ‘At the end of the week, we decided he wasn’t right to play.’

Pressed for how long he thought Grealish would be out for, Smith added: ‘We don’t believe it’s a long-term injury. We’re just going to assess him as he goes.

‘I’ve no idea [how long he’ll be out for]. I’m hopeful. I’m always an optimist.’

The absence of Grealish will come as a big blow to Smith, who is already set to be without right-back Matty Cash for the next three to four weeks.

Grealish has been Villa’s most influential player this season and Jamie Redknapp believes they have become ‘too reliant’ on him and that other players such as Ross Barkely need to step up while he is out injured.  

While commentating on Villa’s game against Leicester, Redknapp said: ‘Aston Villa have become over reliant on a certain player. 

‘Every time the ball goes to Jack Grealish they feel some something is going to happen and they let him get on with it. 

‘I want to see more from Ross Barkley. This is a big opportunity for him. This is your chance, show that you can be the man.’

Micah Richards agreed with Redknapp and said Villa have looked like ‘a shadow of the team we have seen this season’ without their captain after losing 2-1 at home to Leicester on Sunday.

He added: ‘His [Grealish’s] value just goes up and up. I won’t stop talking about him because he is genuine quality. 

‘He takes two or three players out the game. It’s just genuine quality and without him today they have been a shadow of the team we have seen this season.’