Midfielder Stephen Ireland faces a critical situation at Aston Villa after being frozen out and asked to train with the youth squad by manager Paul Lambert.

The current Villa supporters' player of the season has been left out of the last two Premier League games as a punishment after Villa's defeat over two legs against Bradford City in the Capital One Cup, The Telegraph says.

Ireland has not appeared since the second leg against Bradford, missing out the draw against Everton at Goodison Park and the home victory over West Ham last weekend.

Being asked about his absence at Villa Park against The Hammers, Paul Lambert avoided providing an answer about his decision.

“I just picked a squad to win the game,” Lambert said.

The Irish international is the third player being left out of the training by Paul Lambert this season, after the departed Stephen Warnock and Alan Hutton previously suffered the same punishment.

The 26-year-old midfielder now faces a difficult situation, as the signings of Yacouba Sylla and Simon Dawkins in the transfer window suggest his reinstatement in Lambert's line up is becoming more and more unlikely.

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