Jack Grealish has an unbeaten record this year and is being backed to help drive Aston Villa back to the Premier League.

Grealish will captain his beloved club in the play-off semi-final against Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion, bidding to maintain a run that has seen him win 13 of his last 16 games.

The 23-year-old has been in excellent form since recovering from a shin injury in March and is on a mission to erase the bitter memories of last season, when Villa were beaten in the Championship play-off final by Fulham.

His future at the club could depend on the next two games but head coach Dean Smith believes Grealish can prove a huge influence as Villa attempt to bounce back into the big time. He has not been on the losing side since October 26.

Smith said: “Jack is really looking forward to it. We’ve had a chat about it and he can’t wait for the games.

“He would have felt how bad it felt to lose in the final but he also wants to go one better this year.