Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has delivered an update on the injury status of defender Matt Targett after it was reported he was ruled out for three weeks, prompting fans to react.

The left-back arrived at Villa Park a year ago and has been a regular in Smith's starting XI for the most part this season.

With Villa sat 19th in the Premier League standings and fighting for their top-flight status, Targett's absence will hand Smith with a selection headache, potentially looking to call on natural left-back Neil Taylor, whilst centre-backs Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause are also capable of shifting to the left.

The 24-year-old was expected to miss upcoming matches against Liverpool, Manchester United and Crystal Palace, games in which Villa need points to claw themselves out of the relegation zone.

However, Smith has now revealed to the club's official website the extent of his injury and it looks like he won't be out for as long as initially reported.

“He’s struggling, but it won’t be the reported three weeks out. It’s not as bad as first feared and he could be back for Crystal Palace.”

Reacting to Smith's comments via Twitter account @villareport, fans gave a response with many quite critical of Targett, perhaps due to his poor recent form. Indeed in his last two appearances he has managed meagre 6.2 and 6.4 match ratings (via SofaScore).

How much do you think Villa will miss Matt Targett? Let us know in the comments section below...