John McGinn: Aston Villa must keep their feet on the ground

Eighth-placed Villa host Middlesbrough on Saturday aiming for a fourth straight victory, which would propel them into the Championship’s top six for the first time under Dean Smith.

A run of three straight wins has reignited promotion hopes which looked to be over only weeks ago.

But McGinn has warned they must stay focused, after admitting players were guilty of getting carried away during a similar strong run through November and December.

That sequence included impressive wins away to Derby and Boro and McGinn said: “You perhaps start thinking subconsciously the game is easier than it is.

“We maybe started getting a little carried away and it came and bit us on the backside. We need to keep our feet on the ground.

“We have not achieved anything yet. We need to stay humble, keep working hard and get the success the fans are craving.”

Villa won just two league games a three month spell from December to March and at one point sat nine points off the play-offs.

But the gap is now down to two after Wednesday’s 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest, with McGinn claiming hard work has been the secret to the turnaround.

“In those games in November we worked ever so hard to put the opposition under pressure,” he said. “We have started to do that again.

“In some ways it is good for us we have the experience of a poor run. It will stand us in good stead.

“I think everyone is working just that little bit harder. We also weren’t getting some breaks which we probably are getting now.

“Forest had a disallowed goal on Wednesday. Those were the kind of breaks going against us.

“We are creating a few more chances and being clinical. Hopefully we can carry that on.

“We won’t be getting ahead of ourselves. Teams know we have a bit of momentum.

“They won’t be looking forward to playing us but at the same time we have to keep working hard.”