Aston Villa boss, Dean Smith has been handed an injury boost with the news that Axel Tuanzebe has returned to first-team training this week. 

Tuanzebe has been out of action since Villa's draw with Stoke in December and he has left a notable void in the Villa defence which has seen them drop valuable points.

Villa are currently sat 10th in the Championship table and will be hoping they can keep the pressure on Bristol City in the play-off places with a positive result against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday evening.

But Smith now has a number of options available to him, with Tyrone Mings looking like one of the signings of the season since he arrived on loan from AFC Bournemouth on Deadline Day.

Competition for places is never a bad dilemma to have though and Dean Smith will be assessing his options carefully ahead of a crucial period in Aston Villa's season.

It is unlikely that the Manchester United loanee is going to be fit in time to face Forest at the City Ground this evening, but he will be targeting a return after the international break.

Villa have got a tough set of fixtures heading towards the conclusion of this season and Smith will need his defence in particular to be at the top of their game.

Tuanzebe had been a rare bright spark in a disappointing first-half of the season and he will be hoping to pick up where he left off in 2018.

His return can only be positive news for Aston Villa supporters, many of whom, will be keen to see Tuanzebe slot back into the centre of defence at the earliest of opportunities.

If he can do that, then there is no doubting that Villa will be in the top six by the end of the season.