Dean Smith will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Sky Bet Championship tomorrow afternoon, as his Aston Villa side travel to the DW Stadium to face Wigan Athletic.

The Villans have slumped in recent weeks, with just one win in their last six league games halting their latest assault on the play-off positions. Smith's men are down to 10th position in the table, five points off the top six.

Saturday afternoon presents the perfect opportunity for the West Midlands side to get back to winning ways however - Paul Cook's Latics have won just one of their previous thirteen league games, and have subsequently dropped to 20th position in the Championship, just four points clear of the relegation zone.

The Villans have been dealt with some injury blows, with Orjan Nyland, Jack Grealish and Axel Tuanzebe all out for the clash in Lancashire - but new signing Kortney Hause will be looking to make his Villa debut after recently arriving from Wolves.

Here, we take a look at two clear reasons why Dean Smith should start Hause for Villa against Wigan on Saturday afternoon...

They are need of a centre-half

In recent weeks, natural full-backs Alan Hutton and James Bree have had to fill in at centre-half, due to the absence of Axel Tuanzebe, which shows that Villa are in desperate need of a natural central defender to come in and start.

Having conceded six goals in their last three games in all competitions, adding to a total of 44 conceded this season, Smith cannot afford to keep trying to fit square pegs in round holes.

Hause is fit, ready and available, and should really be the first name on the teamsheet.

He'll be looking to see a good defensive understanding with Chester

It is likely that Hause will come in to partner James Chester, and the quicker the pair forge a good understanding with each other at the back, the better.

Chester and Tuanzebe looked calm and solid during Villa's mini-revival after the arrival of Smith, but due to the latter's injury, Chester needs to find another defensive partner.

Hause could be the perfect man next to Chester.