Aston Villa face Newcastle Utd at St James’ Park in our Premier League season opener on Saturday, and Unai Emery would have been hoping to have as close to a fully-fit squad as possible.
Unfortunately for us, there are already known absences and some additional doubts heading into the encounter, with Villa facing a busy first month of the campaign, with our Europa Conference League play-off round tie to come on August 24 and 31 too.
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In turn, it’s hoped that there is positive news on the injury front in the coming days and weeks, as we look to welcome back key individuals from their respective setbacks to ensure we have the competition and depth needed to compete on multiple fronts this season.
Diego Carlos
After his absence in Valencia for our final pre-season outing last weekend, there was concern that the Brazilian centre-half might have picked up an issue that could sideline him.
However, he has taken to social media on a couple of occasions now to confirm that he’s fine and working hard to be available for our opening fixtures, and so it’s hoped that he’s named on the bench this weekend, as he was also spotted in training pictures from Tuesday.
Given the other options available to Emery, Carlos is unlikely to have started on Tyneside even if fully fit, and so he’ll likely be eased back into action.
Alex Moreno
Emery confirmed at the end of last month that he expects the Spaniard to be ready to return at the end of August, or possibly beginning of September, as per BirminghamLive.
Moreno underwent hamstring surgery after suffering the injury blow in our penultimate game last season at Liverpool, and he’s been busy working hard at Bodymoor Heath all summer to recover.
While there will need to be caution with him to avoid aggravating the problem again so late into his recovery, it’s hoped we see him back sooner rather than later.
Jacob Ramsey
In the same press conference in the link above, Emery also confirmed that Ramsey is expected back in September, after he sustained a broken metatarsal while on England U21s duty earlier this summer.
It’s a disappointing blow as he is such a key player for us and any disruption to his preparation for the new campaign is going to be a setback as he’ll have to work his way back to full fitness and form while playing catch-up.
Nevertheless, it’s hoped that his recovery is going to plan and on schedule, and we’ll hopefully see him make his comeback in mid-September after the international break.
Leander Dendoncker
After missing our USA pre-season tour, it was revealed that the Belgian international had stayed behind for the birth of his new baby, and so he didn’t feature despite initially being included in the travelling squad.
Emery told reporters that he was expecting him back with the group on their return to Birmingham, but there didn’t appear to be any sign of him in the latest images shared from training, as per the link above.
Time will tell if he’s simply just working his way back to full fitness in the gym away from the group for now or if he just wasn’t picked up in the photos, but there are question marks over his involvement this weekend.
Jhon Duran
The 19-year-old wasn’t named in the squad for the Premier League Summer Series, and while it was suggested that he was working his way back to full fitness after picking up a knock at the end of last season, he’s not seen in the image gallery above either.
Duran may well have his own personalised programme to work on as he gets back to peak condition away from the grass for now, but similarly to Dendoncker, having not featured in pre-season at all for us, it’s expected that he won’t make the squad for the Newcastle game.
Bertrand Traore
Another player working his way back from an injury, Emery told the media during our trip in the USA that he expects Traore back ready working with the squad in the second week of August.
Tim Iroegbunam
After featuring, and impressing, in the first half of our first pre-season friendly against Walsall, it had been hoped that the talented midfielder could make a case to be a key option for Emery this season.
However, as per the Athletic, he missed the USA trip due to injury, and so it’s hoped that although it doesn’t appear as though he’s back yet, that he is close to a recovery and will still be part of Emery’s plans moving forward.
