Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn is not considered ‘un-droppable’ by manager Steven Gerrard, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The 27-year-old has been in poor form in the opening weeks of the season after being named the Midlands outfit’s new captain, raising questions over his place in the starting XI.

What is the latest news involving McGinn?

McGinn has been instrumental for Villa since arriving for an undisclosed fee from Hibernian back in 2018, helping them achieve promotion from the Championship before cementing their status as a Premier League side.

And the Scotland international’s importance to the Villans was highlighted when Gerrard handed him the armband ahead of the current campaign after losing faith in Tyrone Mings.

“John has demonstrated that he is ready to take on the captaincy through his performances on the pitch combined with his attitude and application in training,” said the 42-year-old tactician.

“He is a popular member of the dressing room who sets high standards and expectations of himself.”

However, since taking up the senior leadership role within the squad, McGinn’s performance levels have been underwhelming, contributing to Villa’s slow start to 2022/23.

What has Jones said about McGinn?

Jones believes that McGinn is ‘definitely not on top form’ and that just because he is the new captain of the team, that doesn’t mean Gerrard would be afraid to rest him if he fortunes do not improve.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, he said: “He's definitely not on top form, but we know how instrumental he is to this team when he's ticking, so that's why he's captain.

"That's why Steven Gerrard wants him to be the leader. I think Gerrard would rest him, though, he's not undroppable, I don’t think anyone in this Villa team is undroppable.”

How poor has McGinn been?

McGinn, who earns £56,000-per-week, is yet to provide a single goal or assist in seven appearances in all competitions, but his underlying numbers indicate that his output could improve soon.

As per WhoScored, the box-to-box dynamo has averaged two tackles, 1.2 shots, 0.8 dribbles, and 0.7 crosses per Premier League appearance, placing him in the top three for each metric amongst his teammates.

The level that McGinn has been playing at has undoubtedly been disappointing by his high standards, yet it’s clear that he has still been contributing when on the pitch.

Gerrard has substituted his captain on three occasions this season, though, and if he doesn’t improve soon, then he may end up starting on the bench in the near future.