Aston Villa are showing signs of reviving their season under Dean Smith, and if they are to continue their good form, then they are sure to be one of the most feared teams to come up against in the Championship. 

Smith has seen his side record back-to-back wins in recent weeks and he will be keen for Villa to kick-on after the international break.

One man who has been at the centre of their recent good form is midfielder John McGinn, who has made himself a firm fans' favourite since arriving at the second tier side.

In a recent interview with the Express and Star, the Villa boss labelled the young midfielder as a "better player than he could have dreamed of."

Smith said: "John has been outstanding, I can only talk about since I have been here but he is a better player than I could have dreamed of.

"He has energy and quality, bundles of it. We are very fortunate to have him."

McGinn netted the opener in the 3-0 win over Derby last weekend, and the Villa boss was pleased with the attacking instincts shown by the 25-year-old.

"Just like against Bolton the previous week we expected John and Jack Grealish to go and get in their box, and they did that well," the Villa boss added.

"John timed his run really well. He had a couple of chances in the first half as well, and it is something we are trying to encourage."

Smith will be hoping that McGinn can, once again, play a crucial role when Villa return to action after the international break when they host fierce rivals Birmingham City.

The Verdict: 

When John McGinn first signed for Aston Villa in the summer, many fans wouldn't have heard much about him having played for Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League.

But he has undoubtedly justified the fee paid for him as he has been ever-present in the Villa side since the move was completed.

If Dean Smith's side are to mount a promotion push this season, then McGinn is sure to be at the heart of it.

He has formed an excellent partnership alongside Jack Grealish and Conor Hourihane in midfield and their creativity could be a real factor as to why Villa will challenge the top-six this season.