Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has said that the match with West Brom on Monday night is going to be of massive importance.
The Midlands derby could potentially see West Brom building on their recent run of form, which has seen them take a credible 2-2 draw against Chelsea just before the international break. They could have easily taken three points from this encounter had it not been for the last-minute penalty, which was very controversial. After a good start to the season, Villa have slipped into an inconsistent spell in recent weeks.
The team has taken just one win in the last five matches, which is proving to be a major hindrance towards Paul Lambert's men getting into the top 10. The latest william hill football betting makes them just over 10-1 to finish in the top 10 now.
After a few years in the wilderness, Agbonlahor has taken the initiative given by Lambert in recent months. He has been a regular first-team player in the Aston Villa team, while he has been causing havoc by playing alongside Christian Benteke. Agbonlahor has not been used as a striker by Lambert, but he has been used out wide. The England international, who has appeared in a handful of matches for the national team, says that he is just happy to be helping the team.
"It is always a big game against a local side and West Brom are the only one that is left in the league. Every game is a big game but derby matches are massive for the players and the fans. The players know that. Lots of them have played in different derbies across the world in different leagues so they will be used to it and they will know how to handle the occasion," said Agbonlahor Aston Villa's official website. Both teams come into the match level on points with each other, but West Brom are slightly ahead due to the goals scored.