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Libor Kozak is still way down the pecking order despite Aston Villa’s strikers bagging just one goal between them this season.

Boss Tim Sherwood confirmed that he favours Rudy Gestede, Gabby Agbonlahor, Jordan Ayew and makeshift forward Scott Sinclair ahead of the ex-Czech Republic international who has not featured for a single minute in the Premier League this term.

Kozak still travels to away games with the team and has made the matchday 18 in half of Villa’s top-flight games but he was again left out for the weekend defeat to rivals Albion.

“At the moment I favour the players in front of him,” said Sherwood.

“I will always have a striker on the bench.

“I had two on there (against Albion).

“Libor is still at the football club so he will be considered like everyone will be.

“Everyone who is here and has a squad number will be considered for the Premier League.”

Kozak is said to be training hard and determined to force his way into Sherwood’s plans.

Last week the 26-year-old scored for the U21s but that didn’t help his case as he had to watch from the sidelines.

Gestede is the only striker to have scored for Villa this season but the manager insists he isn’t worried.

“On Saturday I don’t think they got an awful lot of service to feed off so I couldn’t be critical of them and they worked very hard,” he said.

“All I can do is to ask them to work as hard as they do in training.

“We’re hoping it’ll just click and something will fall for them in front of goal.

“Am I worried? No. I would be more worried if we weren’t creating chances or working hard enough in training to put that right.”

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