Aston Villa will be hoping that their January business will see them revive what has been a thoroughly lacklustre season.

Dean Smith's side currently sit tenth in the Championship with 29 matches played despite being a pre-season tip for promotion but are still just four points behind Derby County who occupy the final play-off spot.

The former Brentford boss was clearly intent on improving his side in January and brought in four new players in the end in the form of goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, midfielder Tom Carroll and centre-backs Kortney Hause and Tyrone Mings.

It will give Smith some much-needed depth for this weekend's trip to Reading and he will no doubt be racking his brains thinking of how he is going to set up his side.

Last weekend saw them scrape past Ipswich Town 2-1 at Villa Park and, although they claimed all three points, the fans will be keen to see a big improvement on the performance.

So, here is how we expect Smith to set his side up...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although he has looked slightly shaky at times already, we fully expect Smith to stick with January signing Kalinic.

One change is expected in the back four though. Tommy Elphick has done a decent job since returning from his spell with Hull but I think it is clear that he was never a first choice option.

So expect to see deadline day acquisition Tyrone Mings come straight into the side for what could be a baptism of fire, although the prospect of a Chester Mings partnership is an exciting one.

McGinn will keep his spot as one of the holding midfielders but expect to see another deadline day arrival come in in the form of Tom Carroll.

This pair will be an absolute bundle of energy and passing quality in the centre of the pitch and will prove an absolute nightmare for the opposition.

It is all the same in attack, with El Ghazi, who needs to put in a good performance, alongside Hourihane and Adomah with the trio feeding the insatiable goalscoring appetite of Tammy Abraham up front.