Aston Villa made it three wins in a row on Saturday with Albert Adomah once again grabbing the headlines by scoring a brace.

It took the winger to ten goals for the season and he has quickly established himself as the main man at Villa Park.

However, boss Steve Bruce was keen to highlight the importance of another player when speaking to the Express & Star.

I thought Glenn Whelan was terrific. I know he’s had a few doubters – but if there was any doubt, the way he goes about it, the way he plays, his attitude, he is as tough as they come. He is a great pro. You can’t have enough people like that around the place.”

The Irish international joined Villa in the summer from Stoke, for a fee believed to be around the £1m mark and Bruce feels that was a real bargain.

He certainly has been worth every penny we spent on him. He never gives it away, he breaks things up, he is determined and very resilient. Saturday was his third game in a week and he was the best player for me, that’s testament to him and how he looks after himself.”

The Verdict

Glenn Whelan is an unspectacular player so may go unnoticed by some, but clearly he isn’t by his manager.

Whilst Bruce may be stretching it by saying he was the best player after another major contribution from Adomah,

Whelan has been under-appreciated and does deserve some acclaim.

The 33-year old is reliable, strong and has been key in the absence of John Terry in stepping up as a leader in the group. Everyone connected with the club will hope this form continues.

Thoughts, Villa fans? Does Whelan deserve more credit? Let us know in the comments below.