Aston Villa host Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday, and Unai Emery has named his starting line-up for the encounter.
There was bad news on the injury front this week as Emery confirmed that Pau Torres is now sidelined for two months after suffering a broken metatarsal in our draw with Brighton.
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Both Diego Carlos and Jaden Philogene were ruled out due to injury too, while Morgan Rogers and Jhon Duran miss out through suspension.
In turn, changes were expected as Villa go into this game short-handed, but there was more positive news with Jacob Ramsey returning from his own injury last time out, while Matty Cash is back in the fold after serving his suspension.
As per the club’s post below, Villa have made three changes from the Brighton game, with Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings and Ross Barkley coming in to replace Diego Carlos, Pau Torres and Morgan Rogers.
That in turn sees us go with a throwback backline with Cash, Ezri Konsa, Mings and Lucas Digne in front of Emiliano Martinez, and it’s hoped that they’re able to shore up a leaky defence and give us a solid foundation on which to build and go out and win the game.
It’s imperative that Villa keep a clean sheet and secure all three points this weekend to start the New Year on a positive note, as we look to fix issues at both ends of the pitch given our habit of conceding too many goals and not being clinical enough in the final third.
Mings will bring physicality, height and leadership at the back while Cash adds balance and allows Konsa to shift back to being a centre-half where he’s more comfortable, Further, Barkley will hopefully add technical quality and a link between defence and attack to give our play rhythm and fluidity to hurt Leicester, particularly when space opens up on the counter attack.
With strength in depth on the bench, it’s hoped that they’re not needed, but with Jacob Ramsey, Emiliano Buendia, Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen in particular at Emery’s disposal, we have players to freshen things up if necessary and help us get the desired outcome.
Your starting XI that faces the Foxes this afternoon 👊 pic.twitter.com/AyntaKqrwC
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 4, 2025
