Whelan pinpoints ‘huge’ factor in Barkley’s Aston Villa woes amid key development
The injury-enforced absence of Jack Grealish at Aston Villa may explain the flatlining form of Ross Barkley.
That is according to ex-Premier League forward Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Grealish returned from a shin problem in midweek against Everton.
He played the last 18 minutes in a 0-0 draw against the Toffees before making another 26-minute substitute appearance in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Barkley was benched at Selhurst Park after a four-match run of starts, his longest run since February.
The on-loan Chelsea midfielder burst out of the traps at Villa but his form has declined as the season has progressed.
And Whelan claims that Grealish’s absence since mid-February can go some way to explaining the 27-year-old’s dip.
“We know what Grealish brings to Aston Villa,” he told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge.
“He’s their captain, their main man, their driving force when he’s out there. When he’s not out there, I think you can see how much they miss him.
“He’s huge for them. It’s no secret that when Barkley was in the side with Grealish, they had a better relationship. That might be part of it [Barkley’s decline].
“Having him back, wow, that’s a massive plus for the end of the season, for Dean Smith, for Aston Villa and for Barkley and for Gareth Southgate and England too.”
Football Insider revealed in March that Dean Smith is unconvinced of the merits of signing Barkley permanently.
Villa CEO Christian Purslow was understood to be the driving force behind a potential swoop.
In other news, 2019 signing not expected to be at Aston Villa next season as transfer plans revealed.