Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has provided our latest team news ahead of facing Liverpool in the Premier League on Wednesday night.
Villa will look to put the disappointment of this past weekend behind us after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by 10-man Ipswich Town, but it promises to be a difficult challenge against the current league leaders.
READ MORE: Five key talking points as Villa held to frustrating draw vs Ipswich
Ideally, we’d have as close to a full squad available as possible to give Emery options and alternative solutions, but there is likely to be an anxious wait to determine who makes the matchday squad in midweek.
As per the Villa boss, we could see Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa and Leon Bailey return to the fold as they are close to being given the green light to feature, but a final decision has not yet been made on the trio and so they remain doubtful at this stage, with the hope that they’re passed fit.
“Kamara is out, Bailey is close to being with us again,” he told the media at his pre-match press conference, as per VillaTV. “I don’t know tomorrow, he’s a doubt.
“Cash as well is close to being with us, Konsa as well is close to being with us.
“We trained this morning but, until tomorrow morning, I’m not going to decide exactly how much they are ready to play or not or to be with us.”
With Tyrone Mings back from injury and loanee Axel Disasi available for selection, we’ve been boosted in the centre-half positions over the past week having been left dangerously short of options in that department due to injuries prior to that.
However, if both Cash and Konsa are available again to make the bench at least, that will give us important depth and competition moving forward, albeit Disasi and Andres Garcia have impressed in their absence.
As for Bailey, he has struggled with injuries and poor form this season and so he has a point to prove on his return, but despite those struggles, he has remained an important option for Emery who values his ability highly as he offers width and a direct threat down the right flank.
In turn, time will tell who returns or not for the Liverpool clash as perhaps our encounter with Chelsea this weekend will be a more realistic target for some, but Emery also provided an update on Boubacar Kamara after his setback at the weekend, with the Frenchman now expected to miss our next few games due to an issue with his hamstrings.
“It’s difficult to know exactly the reason for the injured players,” Emery added. “Normally a lot of teams in the Premier League have a lot of injures We’re playing a lot of matches, always playing matches is adding more risk to getting injured players.
“Kamara, he was ready to play with some problem with his back, the injury was not coming from his back, it’s his hamstring.
“We’re trying to analyse, trying to meet with the doctors, with the physios about how we can get better anticipating circumstances like we have.
“Exactly why? It’s difficult to have this information.
“Of course, we’re going to try to get better in everything.”
