Jack Grealish's progress is pushing Aston Villa towards promotion

Jack Grealish has been around for a long time – having played under five managers in five years – but he is now growing up

By Martin Laurence for WhoScored, part of the Sport Network

Aston Villa’s season has been shaped by injuries, for better and for worse. So, with Jack Grealish and top scorer Albert Adomah ruled out of their trip to Fulham on Saturday, it was no great shock that their superb seven-game winning streak came to an end at Craven Cottage. Fulham have usurped Steve Bruce’s side as the form team in the Championship and, now just four points behind third-place Villa, they are also on the hunt for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Villa face another side aiming for promotion on Tuesday night, when Preston visit Villa Park. Bruce will be desperate to have Adomah and Grealish back available, although both players have done so well this season due to the absences of others. An injury to André Green – and indeed Grealish – early in the season gave Adomah the chance to take up a new role on the left. It has worked wonders, allowing the Ghana international to score 13 goals in 24 starts.

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