Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has delivered positive news on the injury front concerning Bertrand Traore and Diego Carlos.
Villa face a difficult trip to the Etihad to take on Manchester City on Sunday, as we look to bounce back from defeat to Leicester City last time out and get back to winning ways.
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Given our away form since Emery took charge, there is hope that we’ll be able to return home with a result, but improvements will certainly need to be made on our last performance if we hope to upset the odds against Pep Guardiola’s side.
However, there was good news ahead of the weekend as the Villa boss provided positive updates on injuries within the squad, with Traore and Diego Carlos making good progress.
“Bertrand Traoré is starting to train with the team normally, but it’s the first day [today],” Emery told the media, as per Villa TV. “Diego Carlos is doing his work individually but I think next week he will start with us, which is very good news.
“For Sunday, we train for the last time tomorrow and hopefully everyone else is going to be ok to play.”
Traore was recalled from his loan spell in Turkey last month, shortly after he had already returned to Villa to receive treatment on his injury. Given we didn’t add a winger in the January transfer window, the Burkina Faso international is now seen as a potentially key solution for Emery between now and the end of the season on our right wing.
As for Carlos, he has been sidelined since August after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, and so it has been a long and no doubt difficult road back for him to get to this point.
However, it’s excellent news to hear that he’s on the verge of returning to group training, and so it’s hoped that all goes to plan next week and he is back in contention to get minutes before the end of the month.
There was also a hint of further good news from Emery in his final comment above, as after Ashley Young came off against Leicester having seemingly picked up a knock, the absence of any update on his condition would suggest that he will be available.
The wily veteran has provided a crucial option for Emery at right-back, and so it will be interesting to see if he is given the nod, or if Matty Cash comes in to replace him in the Villa starting XI. Nevertheless, the fact that he should be available is a boost in itself.