Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has provided an update on Alex Moreno after the Spaniard was forced off with an injury against Liverpool.
Moreno came on as a second-half substitute at Anfield on Saturday, but he lasted just 12 minutes on the pitch before having to be replaced after sustaining what looked like a hamstring injury while making a crucial clearance.
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As he clutched the back of his leg while getting help to make it to the sidelines, the early signs weren’t good and it appears as though we’ll now be without the 29-year-old next weekend for our crunch encounter with Brighton.
“It’s difficult because normally he’ll be injured (for next week),” Emery told the media, as quoted by BirminghamLive. “Yesterday, Diego Carlos as well had a small injury. We don’t know if we can get him available for next week. Alex Moreno as well but I think he’ll be more difficult to be ready. It’s a small injury but I don’t think he’ll be available for Sunday.”
Given the quality that Moreno has offered us since he arrived in January, that’s a big blow as we’ll miss his ability to provide width and a dangerous attacking outlet down the left flank, especially at home against a top side where we’ll need to set the tone.
With Lucas Digne being replaced by the Spaniard early in the second half on Saturday, it’s hoped that he’ll be fit enough to deputise next Sunday, as he’s certainly capable of putting in an important shift in both phases of the game.
If not, Emery does also have the option of playing Ashley Young on the left side with Matty Cash now back, and so there are options to deal with Moreno’s absence, albeit we won’t be able to replicate what he gives us.
As for Carlos, it’s hoped that his issue isn’t anything serious as although he was unlikely to feature against Brighton anyway, having recently come back from such a lengthy absence, he’ll hope to be healthy going into the summer as he prepares for a big pre-season which in turn will hopefully set him up well for an important year.
The focus for Villa now though is our clash with Brighton, as a win will ultimately secure European football for next season. Time will tell if a Europa League spot is still on the line by then, but a place in the Europa Conference League would certainly represent progression and an opportunity to gain important experience at that level to hopefully set us up for bigger things in the near future.