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Jack Grealish remains the most fouled player in the Championship - despite missing almost a third of the season.

Grealish, who has been out injured since early December, has been fouled 102 times.

The Aston Villa midfielder is fouled an average of 4.71 times per 90 minutes.

His claret and blue team-mate John McGinn is the next most fouled player in the Championship.

McGinn has been fouled 88 times at an average of 2.79 times per 90 minutes.

The stats, courtesy of Wyscout, are further confirmation that Grealish is the second tier's most marked man as he prepares to make his long-awaited return this weekend.

Grealish has been out of action since early December after limping out of the 2-2 draw at West Bromwich Albion with a shin problem, but has been pencilled in to play against Derby County at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.

McGinn, meanwhile, will sit out the second game of his two match ban after totting up 10 bookings.

Speaking about the return of Grealish, Villa boss Dean Smith said: “He’s trained well so is available for selection.

"Whether he starts or not, we will wait and see but he has trained well enough. He is pushing for a starting spot on Saturday.

“I have said before I believe he is the best player in the league and any team that loses a player of that quality would suffer.

“We have suffered a little bit through Jack’s loss. It will be nice to have him back.”

We have had a more in-depth look at Grealish's stats and the contribution Villa have missed during his absence. You can read it here .

Villa supporters aren’t the only ones relieved to see Jack Grealish back in the full swing of things.

The Villa talisman was returned to training after more than two months on the sidelines.

He comes into contention for this weekend’s clash with Derby - and will carry the weight of re-lighting Villa’s play-off bid.

Which is why his team-mates are even more pleased to see him return - no-one more so than England Under 21 colleague Kortney Hause.

“It’s superb news to get him back. He’s such a good player – honestly a real special talent,” Hause told avfc.co.uk .

“I played for England with him, too, before I arrived here at Aston Villa. He’s my good friend. I have known him for quite a few years.