Steve Bruce has admitted that Aston Villa are not expecting good news on the injury front, after Glenn Whelan was forced from the field in last night’s victory over Sunderland.  

Whelan has made a strong impact on his return to the starting XI and impressed last night against a struggling Sunderland side, as Villa stormed to a 3-0 victory at the Stadium of Light.

However, Bruce was forced to withdraw the midfielder on the hour due to a calf injury, which according to the Villa boss is a serious problem.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Bruce said: “The disappointing thing of tonight is that Whelan, who I thought was our best player up until he got injured, has badly pulled a calf. That’s the downside of tonight.

“For him to come off and limp like that, then it’s got to be something severe, so we’re not expecting good news.”

Despite the blow of Whelan’s injury, last night’s victory at the Stadium of Light was another huge step in the right direction for Villa, who go from strength-to-strength in the race for promotion.

Bruce’s side sit third on 66 points, four points adrift of the top-two heading into the final 11 fixtures of the season.

Villa are back in action – and will seemingly be without Whelan – on Saturday when they welcome table-toppers Wolverhampton Wanderers to Villa Park for an eagerly anticipated fixture.

The Verdict

Whelan has been good since he was reintroduced to the starting XI, with the experienced midfielder proving to be a reliable figure in a holding role.

Losing Whelan ahead of Saturday, which will be a key fixture, is a blow, but Bruce has plenty of other options he can turn to when Wolves visit.

However, with just 11 fixtures remaining and Villa well in the hunt for promotion, Bruce will have his fingers crossed that he receives some positive news on the 34-year-old.

Aston Villa fans… Let us know your thoughts!