Neil Taylor needs to seize surprise Aston Villa lifeline

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Aston Villa defender Neil Taylor has had a disappointing spell since he joined in 2017 and looked a shadow of the player he once was at Swansea City.

The 29-year-old has struggled with consistency in his game and never managed to fully cement his spot in the starting XI at the Midlands giants.

But the slate was wiped clean a couple of weeks ago following the departure of Steve Bruce and he’s been given a huge lifeline to impress new manager Dean Smith.

Taylor holds the advantage that he is the most natural fit in the Villa squad for the left-back position, something that has seen him complete 90 minutes in Smith’s first two games in charge.

The Welsh full-back has been part of a team that beat his former club Swansea 1-0, before losing 2-1 away at Norwich City in midweek.

Taylor has shown signs there is a bit of rustiness to his game and the left-sided flyer needs to improve in offensive positions, especially with his crossing into the penalty area.

His passing has also been sporadic in the last two games and he’s clearly under immense pressure to impress the new manager.

It is a shock that Taylor has been presented with an opportunity to become a regular starter and if he rediscovers his top form he can be a great solution in defence.

But the left-back could do with a solid display away to QPR on Friday night in the Championship.