Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has conceded that he’s unsure if Jacob Ramsey will be available to face either Ajax or West Ham Utd this week.
The 22-year-old picked up a fresh knock in our 3-2 win over Luton Town at the start of the month, and he was forced off after just 29 minutes at Kenilworth Road with what appeared to be an issue with his foot.
READ MORE: Villa ace posts positive injury update after significant progress
Given he has already missed time this season with a foot injury, it was an immediate concern seeing him clutch that area again, but those fears were seemingly allayed by Emery in his pre-Tottenham press conference as he suggested that Ramsey would be back in training this week.
However, his tone has since changed, as it’s not certain if Ramsey will be involved in what are now two crucial games that may well shape the rest of our season.
As per The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Emery noted after our defeat to Tottenham on Sunday that he’s not sure when Ramsey will resume training, and consequently, it remains unclear if he will be available to face either Ajax on Thursday or West Ham Utd on Sunday.
With Boubacar Kamara already sidelined by injury and John McGinn suspended for three games after his dismissal on Sunday, having Ramsey remain sidelined is another headache for Emery as he continues to search for the best balance in his starting XI.
Ramsey has been limited to just 21 appearances across all competitions so far this season and so we’ve had to make do without him already, but his absence is a blow and particularly with numbers low in midfield, it’s hopefully not a problem that will significantly impact our upcoming results.
Leon Bailey was shifted to the left wing and Matty Cash featured in a more advanced role on the right this past weekend, but while Tim Iroegbunam is expected to fill the void left behind by McGinn, it remains to be seen if one of Morgan Rogers or Moussa Diaby features more prominently and how that impacts Youri Tielemans position.