Danny Drinkwater could be available for Aston Villa's Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur, as reported by The Birmingham Mail.

What's the story?

The former England international picked up a calf injury just 24 hours before Villa travelled to face AFC Bournemouth, sustaining it during training at Bodymoor.

Dean Smith's side lost 2-1 in his absence, but it is suggested there is a good chance the 29-year-old will be ready for the home match against Jose Mourinho's men, with the midfielder working to get up to full fitness in time over the winter break.

The manager had been quoted as saying: "He had a tight calf in training yesterday and wasn't able to travel with us. He'll get himself back fit for Tottenham in a few weeks."

It would be a boost to have the midfielder's absence from the team limited to just one match.

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Potential boost

Since joining on loan from Chelsea, Drinkwater has played three matches - against Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford.

There were definite teething problems for the Premier League winner, as he was slated by fans for his debut performance against the reigning champions, which saw him make a mistake that led to one of City's goals.

Fans were also complaining after the Brighton and Watford games, as they felt that Douglas Luiz should have started ahead of Drinkwater, after the Brazilian got an assist and goal in the respective matches.

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right....

However, the midfielder can definitely show his worth in a Villa shirt, with his experience being a useful tool to help get over the disappointing result against Bournemouth, in which they failed to get anything despite having 60.4% of possession.

There are indications from his statistics that he could prove to be a useful addition to the squad, as in his three Premier League games, the 29-year-old has averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1 clearance while maintaining a pass success rate of 80.5%.

His all-round style means that getting him back could be a boost.

Meanwhile, a former Villa player suggests they have missed out on a massive opportunity.