Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been handed a vital boost as both Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara start for our U21s side on Saturday.
Mings, 31, has been sidelined since the first game of last season after suffering a serious knee injury, while Kamara, 24, has been ruled out with a similar issue and hasn’t featured since February.
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While Villa have done exceptionally well in their absence, there is no doubt over how important the pair will be for Emery moving forward as we try to compete on multiple fronts, and so their respective returns will provide all concerned with a huge lift for the remainder of the season.
In a crucial development, Villa have confirmed that the duo will start in our Premier League 2 encounter with Newcastle Utd U21s on Saturday afternoon, and so it will be a fundamental step towards returning at senior level in the coming weeks.
Naturally, both Mings and Kamara will be short of match fitness and sharpness, and so this will be an important run-out for them to get back up to speed, and hopefully they come through unscathed without any issues off the back of it.
With Villa looking to build on our fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season, as well as compete in the Champions League and domestic cups, Emery will need competition and depth in every position to have the best possible chance of succeeding and achieving our objectives.
Mings will be a key option either to step in for Pau Torres when we rotate or perhaps play alongside him if Emery believes that partnership can work, while Kamara will do the same in midfield to try and partner the likes of Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley.
Given how pivotal they are with their experience, leadership and quality, it will certainly help raise our level further, and with the international break coming up after our clash with Manchester United this weekend, it’s hoped that both Mings and Kamara will be in contention to make the matchday squad against Fulham on October 19.
