Elliott Hewitt has got the ability and temperament to handle Premier League Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Ipswich: Carlos Edwards has given his backing to 18-year-old right-back Elliott Hewitt as the teenager gets ready to make his full debut for Town.
Hewitt will start on the right side of defence at Aston Villa after impressing manager Mick McCarthy in training and in the few minutes of action he has tasted from the substitute’s bench.
Edwards, who could well start on the same flank as the Welsh Under-21 international, believes he will flourish in the FA Cup spotlight.
The Blues skipper said: “I think he is ready. Why not throw him into the deep end.
“There will be a lot of experienced guys around him while the manager himself will give him a good hand on his shoulder to assure him and tell him to go out there and do his best and not be nervous.
“Hopefully he can have a good game under his belt. He has the right temperament.
“He is a solid guy with a good head on his shoulders and I think he will go about it in the right way.
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Of Hewitt, McCarthy said: “I want to see how he does. He trains well, he’s got a lot of ability – what he hasn’t got is experience and know-how and knowledge.”
Hewitt has come on in the home victory at Millwall and the away defeat at Leeds – both last month.
