Aston Villa secured their fourth Championship win in a row on Saturday as they overcame Barnsley to move to within three points of second place.

After a mixed start, Villa are finally beginning to show the form many had hoped and Steve Bruce is rewarding his players with a mini-break following this good run.

Speaking to the Birmingham Mail, Bruce revealed that he wanted to give his players a rest ahead of the crucial clash against Sheffield United on January 30.

“It’s the ideal time to give everyone three or four days off in preparation for Sheffield United. I hope my phone won’t be ringing too much.”

Having lost against Peterborough in the FA Cup, Villa have no game this weekend but the players are sure to appreciate the gesture from the manager.

He also added that several people at the club had been suffering prior to the Barnsley game and would surely appreciate the time off.

“James Chester played with the flu really and he looked like it towards the end. All my staff have been sick, my doctor’s had it, my second in command has had it, the staff have had it, they’ve all had it!”

The Verdict

This is a good move from Steve Bruce as the winter months can be very demanding for players, so there’s no need to overwork them in training.

They have over a week until the next game so there’s plenty of time to prepare and it will keep the morale in the group high.

Villa are starting to look like the real deal and Bruce will be trying to manage his players properly in the coming months.

Thoughts, Villa fans? Let us know in the comments below.