Martinez, Kamara, Onana: Aston Villa injury news and expected return dates ahead of Everton clash
Aston Villa injury news ahead of their clash with Everton
After progressing against Tottenham in the third round of the FA Cup, Aston Villa turn their attention back to Premier League duties to face Everton.
Villa have been almost faultless since picking up their first victory at the end of September, and if it wasn’t for a five-game run without a win at the start of the campaign they could have been on course for the title.
However, they have a few injury hurdles that they’ll need to overcome if they are to keep themselves in the upper echelons of the Premier League table and ensure a return to the Champions League after this season’s absence.
A combined total of five players missed the match against Tottenham at the weekend due to a combination of injury or AFCON but are any of them on track to return? Here’s the latest.
Emiliano Martinez injury latest
Keeping Emiliano Martinez at Aston Villa has proven an inspired decision after lengthy rumours linking the Argentine with a move to Manchester United.
He’s produced some big saves throughout the campaign to help Villa pick up vital points and has helped settle things down after a turbulent start to the season.
The 33-year-old was subbed off in a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace and missed last weekend’s cup clash with a calf issue. He’s currently being assessed by the medical team and it appears to be 50/50 whether he makes a return in time to face Everton.
Boubacar Kamara latest plus other injury updates
Midfielder Boubacar Kamara, who has arguably been one of Villa’s most important players this season, is currently sidelined with a worrying knee issue. Emery said earlier this month that he’s hoping that the extent of the injury is not too serious, but he’s not yet disclosed to the press how long he expects the Frenchman to be out for ahead of a busy period of fixtures.
Aston Villa are very short on midfield options at this stage, with club-record signing Amadou Onana also nursing an injury. The Belgian is likely to miss the clash with his former club Everton due to a thigh issue but could be back the following week to face Fenerbahce in the Europa League and Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Ross Barkley, another former Everton player, also misses out. The experienced central midfielder is expected to return by the end of February after sustaining a knee injury, in what has so far been a frustrating campaign for the former England international.
Big summer signing Evann Guessand, who has struggled to hit the ground running in his early months, could be in line for a return to the squad at a crucial point in the season amid growing speculation of an imminent departure for fellow winger Donyell Malen. Guessand has been representing Ivory Coast at AFCON, but is now out of the competition following a quarter-final loss to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt.