Steve Bruce has endured a difficult first season in charge of Aston Villa, but he insists the bruises on his face heading into the final game of the season are the result of a mole removal operation.
Bruce held a press conference on Friday ahead of his side's final game of the season against Brighton at Villa Park, and the former Hull City manager shocked reporters at Bodymoor Heath by emerging with a bruised and battered face.
Rather than usual health check on the squad heading into a weekend's fixture, the fitness of the manager himself was the first question put to Bruce, but he stressed his stitched-up face was simply caused by the removal of moles.