Aston Villa face Chelsea in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday night, and here’s how Unai Emery’s starting line-up for the encounter could look.
After a 12-day break following our draw at Everton earlier this month, the Villa squad will hopefully be recharged and regrouped for what will hopefully prove to be an exciting and successful second half of the campaign.
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Having positioned ourselves in the top four in the Premier League table as well as advancing in the FA Cup and Europa Conference League, there is a big challenge ahead in the coming months to ensure we keep that momentum going and ultimately achieve our objectives.
Emery would undoubtedly have loved to have a fully-fit squad at his disposal this week, particularly with the quick turnaround to face Newcastle Utd in the league next Tuesday, but he delivered our latest team news in his pre-match press conference on Friday, and there will be absentees.
“Jhon Duran is now injured, but I am happy with him,” Emery told the media, as per VillaTV. “The last action against Everton he was injured. For the next weeks he is not going to be available.
“Lucas Digne and Pau Torres are still injured. Lucas is close to starting with the group, maybe in one week. Pau is progressing well, he starting training with us and ready to play, but he stopped again and now we are being careful.
“Ramsey too, it is a hamstring at the beginning we were thinking three weeks, but he could be back next week if he progresses well. Maybe Tuesday, but for tomorrow maybe not.”
Emi Martinez is expected to start between the posts, and with Digne and Torres still sidelined, Alex Moreno and Clement Lenglet will keep their respective spots at the back with the defensive line completed by Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash.
Diego Carlos will come into consideration, but that seems like the more balanced back-four on the road to not only help give us a solid foundation, but to also have the energy and attacking dynamic to cause Chelsea problems going forward too.
While youngster Kaine Kesler-Hayden has returned from his loan stint at Plymouth, we’ll hope to see him amongst the substitutes and get minutes if possible to help him integrate into the squad.
In midfield, Leon Bailey, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn could get the nod, with Douglas Luiz rested with one eye on Newcastle, while Tielemans needs the minutes to get fully back up to speed and at his best following his spell on the sidelines through injury.
Emery could opt to play the Belgian international instead of Bailey and have McGinn shift to the right side, and so it will be interesting to see what quartet he feels gives us the best balance and ability to control proceedings in that all-important midfield battle.
Meanwhile, with Duran now injured too, Ollie Watkins will lead the line, and Moussa Diaby could offer support behind him as the Frenchman looks to find some form of his own and play a key role moving forward, and so it could be just the two changes from the side that faced Everton almost a fortnight ago.
Tim Iroegbunam and Nicolo Zaniolo will be pushing to be involved too, but could this be the Villa XI that Emery goes with at Stamford Bridge on Friday night?
