Assessing 'Super' John McGinn's importance in Aston Villa's quest for safety

With each passing week, the £2m Aston Villa paid Hibernian for John McGinn looks a bargain and in the modern game, it's a pittance. The Villans trumped Celtic to his signature 18 months ago and his stock has continued to soar. Having seamlessly slotted into the Villa setup, McGinn is the lungs of this Dean Smith side. 

As any Villa fan will testify, McGinn runs and runs and runs and runs. The Scot's never say die attitude is crucial in the middle of the park, with his work ethic off the ball very much an endearing trait for both club and country. While his arrival in 2018 barely registered outside of Birmingham, now football fans across the country are taking notice of Villa's Duracell Bunny. 

Yet there is very much more to McGinn's game than just running around and looking busy in midfield. Any player can charge about the pitch in order to hassle opponents and not give them a chance to settle. McGinn, though, offers plenty to this Villa side that has helped propel him into the spotlight. Jack Grealish may have been the one to watch when Villa secured their Premier League spot, but it's his Scottish teammate that offers, well, a bit of everything in the middle of the park. 

He is the only Premier League player that ranks among the top 10 for both tackles (26) and successful dribbles (24) this season, the latter more than any other central midfield, with arguably the best coming in Villa's 5-1 win at Norwich as he sent Moritz Leitner the wrong way with a quick drag back and flick past the German. Winning the ball with ease and charging up field when he wins possession allows for Villa to transition from defence to attack in the blink of an eye. And when he does break into the final third, he has the eye for a defence splitting pass with 14 key passes placing him among the top 20 players in England's top tier. Four WhoScored man of the match awards is the best in the league. 

Opponents clearly struggle to deny the Scot when he does push forward too, resorting to underhand tactics to ensure he is unable to punch a hole in their defence. Jack Grealish (38) is the most fouled player in the Premier League this season, with Wilfried Zaha (30) second. McGinn (26) rounds off the top three, with the difference being the two above him play in a more advanced role or out wide and are, traditionally, renowed for their ability to draw fouls. 

In Smith's 4-3-3 setup, his role as the box-to-box maestro is vital, but is clearly one he carries out with aplomb and it means that his WhoScored rating (7.62) is the fifth best in the Premier League. Take out Manchester City's players, and McGinn rises to first. Of course, his performances haven't gone unnoticed either. Reports of Manchester United's interest continue to crop up, yet Villa can rest easy knowing he is tied down to a five-year deal, which he penned on deadline day back in August, with the club protecting one of their prized assets and then some. 

Even before the new contract it would've taken a monster bid to convince Villa to sell. Now, nine games into the season and McGinn instrumental in the club's commendable start to the campaign, that asking price continues to rise. While just three points above the relegation zone, it will be McGinn who will central to Villa's efforts to keeping their head above water. 

Matt Targett's late winner against Brighton on Saturday ensured back-to-back league wins for Villa at a crucial time in the season. Smith's side take on Manchester City, Liverpool and Wolves in the Premier League between now and international break and, if Villa are to spring an upset, it'll be down to the scuttling McGinn to not only pressure the midfield, but burst forward and create for his teammates. 

His standing at Villa Park is already sky high and the rest of the country is, understandably, beginning to take notice of 'McGinniesta'. It was Grealish who attracted the most fanfare when Villa secured their Premier League return, but it was McGinn's second half goal that earned them their top-flight spot at Derby's expense back in May. The pair are impressing in their own right, however you get the impression that it'll be McGinn, rather than Grealish, whose impact will be felt the most if Villa are to consolidate their Premier League spot next year.