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According to a report in yesterday's Telegraph, Jack Grealish and Carles Gil will feature for Tim Sherwood Saturday afternoon as Villa take on last season's Champions. The creativity Gil and Grealish can provide was sorely missed as Villa struggled to create any notable opportunities last time out against Stoke, but Gil and Grealish have been bright spots on the field for Villa throughout preseason and the early Premier League campaign, with the pair scoring Villa's goals at Leicester three matches ago.
While rumors of injuries circulated after the Leicester game, Sherwood's decision to hand in a team sheet with neither Gil nor Grealish versus West Brom and Stoke City was cited by many Villa fans as a clear example of Sherwood's managerial ineptitude. The pair provides unarguable attacking prowess, but their defending can often leave something to be desired. Sherwood's apparent decision to start them against Chelsea hints that he will not merely sit back against Jose Mourinho's struggling side; instead he appears to be returning to the more optimistic, forward thinking lineups of last term.
Sherwood's tactics Saturday will either fail spectacularly or succeed and yield immeasurable benefits - a decision which very well make a significant impact on his ability to retain his position as Villa's manager.
What do you think the inclusion of Gil and Grealish means for Villa's outlook Saturday? Let us know!
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