John McGinn returned to captain Aston Villa for their first Premier League fixture of 2022 at Brentford.
The Scotland international midfielder missed the defeat against Chelsea but returned at Brentford Community Stadium and took the captain’s armband from Tyrone Mings, who was forced to sit out due to suspension.
Head coach Steven Gerrard, also back in the dugout after being absent on Boxing Day due to COVID-19, made a total of three changes in west London.
Kortney Hause replaced Mings at centre-back, McGinn came in for Morgan Sanson while Bertrand Traoré was named in the starting XI, with Ollie Watkins not included in the matchday squad against his former club.
Midfielder Sanson was among the substitutes to face the Bees, where there was also a place on the bench for teenage defender Josh Feeney.
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Brentford: Fernández, Pinnock, Jansson, Mads Bech, Jensen, Canós, Nørgaard, Onyeka, Roerslev, Wissa, Toney.
Subs: Cox, Ajer, Thompson, Baptiste, Bidstrup, Stevens, Janelt, Forss, Ghoddos.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Targett, Hause, Konsa, Luiz, McGinn, Buendía, J Ramsey, Ings, Traoré.
Subs: Steer, Trézéguet, Philogene-Bidace, Archer, Iroegbunam, Feeney, Carney Chukwuemeka, Sanson, El Ghazi.
