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Ashley Westwood faces FA Cup semi-final heartache and a shock summer exit from Aston Villa.

Midfielder Westwood was one of the mainstays of former manager Paul Lambert’s Villans as he anchored the team’s engine room and has made 95 appearances since joining from Crewe for £900,000 in August 2012.

But MirrorSport understands Lambert's successor, Tim Sherwood, believes the 25-year-old is not creative enough.

Westwood is struggling to get back into the side for Sunday’s clash with Liverpool at Wembley, despite Carlos Sanchez being suspended. He is also under threat of being offloaded this summer as Sherwood seeks to shake up a squad he inherited two months ago.

In almost three seasons at Villa, Westwood has scored only three goals - and term he has failed to find the net at all, and also managed just one assist.

(Image: Neville Williams)

Sherwood wants to make the Villans more attacking, having taken over a club that had only scored 12 league goals in 25 games, and Westwood has become the fall-guy as Lambert’s five-man midfield has been ditched.

Westwood was dropped for the new manager’s opening game, then started three matches, but has not played since a sub appearance in the home loss against Swansea on March 21.

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Now despite being close to returning from a hamstring injury, Westwood faces a huge battle to preserve his Villa career.

In his absence, on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley has blossomed, and Sherwood wants to sign the free-agent-to-be permanently in the summer.

It is an astonishing turnaround from Westwood’s days as one of the first names on Lambert’s team-sheet. The Scot hailed him as a bargain signing and even pushed him for England recognition.

(Image: Action Images)

Westwood has also hailed Sherwood, a former midfielder himself, for “electrifying” Villa.

But ex-Spurs boss Sherwood has solved Villa’s goal shortage without needing Westwood and is not afraid of ruthless decisions.

Westwood was an unused sub after being dropped for the 4-0 win at Sunderland and did not feature in the 3-3 draw with QPR or last Saturday's win at Tottenham.

Tottenham 0-1 Aston Villa in pictures:

Now Villa, who handed him a new four-year deal in 2013, may consider selling or loaning-out Westwood this summer.

Spaniard Carles Gil, who also impressed under Lambert after being bought from Valencia for £3.2m in the winter window, has also been frozen out as he is viewed as too lightweight.

* VILLA are giving a new contract to teenage forward Rushian Hepburn-Murphy. The 16-year-old made his first team debut off the bench at Sunderland.