After another disappointing draw, this time with Stoke City, Aston Villa's season looks set to fizzle out disappointingly in the coming months. 

This weekend gives them the chance to bounce back and make a bit of a statement in the chase for a top-six spot, however, when Derby County visit Villa Park.

They will have to pick up a hard-fought three points without experienced right-back Alan Hutton, however, but the club were given a positive update on his fitness.

[ad_pod ]

The Scot was injured just seven minutes into the clash with Stoke City but is expected to be back before the end of the season.

With few options available to Dean Smith it is likely that he will have no choice but to employ Ahmed Elmohamady in that role or perhaps move Tyrone Mings out from centre-back.

It is the sort of news that is also sure to have reached the club's youngest right-back, James Bree, who left the club to join Ipswich Town on loan in January.

What will he now be thinking having seen his main competition pick up a significant knock?

I imagine his primary emotion on seeing the news will be immense frustration and will surely now regret his decision to leave the club on loan.

With Hutton having been first choice all season it is likely that Bree would have been top of Smith's list of replacements for an incident such as this.

There is no point dwelling on it, however. The former Barnsley man needs to focus on ensuring he is at the forefront of his manager's plans for the start of next season.