Konsa, Cash, Onana: Aston Villa injury news and expected return dates ahead of Leeds United clash
The latest Aston Villa injury news - featuring updates on Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Amadou Onana and more
Aston Villa resume their Premier League campaign this weekend when they travel to newly-promoted Leeds United in what promises to be a challenging away fixture in West Yorkshire.
The Lions are hoping to carry on from where they left off after a thumping 4-0 win against in-form Bournemouth and an encouraging run of five wins from their last six Premier League matches after an initial slow start.
However, their squad is likely to be tested extensively in the coming weeks as the festive season looms, and while the nation prepares for the prospect of snow, Unai Emery will be simply hoping that the number of injury doubts he has in his team doesn’t turn into an avalanche in the coming weeks.
In total, Aston Villa are sweating over the fitness of six first team stars following the conclusion of the November international break, but how many are likely to make the trip to Elland Road? Here’s our latest roundup.
Will Ezri Konsa start after leaving the England squad early?
Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa sustained a suspected calf injury after England’s 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley Stadium. He missed the game against Albania, instead opting to remain in London for further assessment.
Tuchel shared an update regarding his condition, as per talkSPORT: “Ezri has a tight calf and couldn’t finish training today. He will get further assessment in London and he’s stayed in London. We think it’s nothing, we don’t even think it’s an injury, but it’s just a discomfort and not worth the risk.”
Based on Tuchel's comments, Konsa should be in a solid position to feature against Leeds, but he may need further assessment from Villa’s medical team before a decision is made.
Matty Cash and Amadou Onana fitness updates
In-form right-back Matty Cash is believed to be struggling with muscle tightness. He was subbed off during a 1-1 draw with Netherlands in World Cup qualification and was left on the bench for Poland’s final match against Malta.
His issue is not thought to be too serious and he’s currently more likely than not going to play against Leeds. However, it’s something the medical team still needs to assess first.
Elsewhere, club-record signing Amadou Onana, who was exceptional in Villa’s demolition of Bournemouth, also faces a race against time to prove his fitness due to struggles with muscle tightness. He played for Belgium in a 1-1 draw with Kazakhstan but was left out entirely during a 7-0 win over Liechtenstein in the final qualifying match. He’s only recently returned from a hamstring problem, but could still be involved against Leeds in some capacity.
Lamare Bogarde has a knock which limits his chances of playing against Leeds. He’s got a slight chance of being involved at the weekend, but the same cannot be said for Andres Garcia, who is out until December with an injury and experienced defender Tyrone Mings, who is out until the New Year with a thigh problem.
Aston Villa recorded a 2-1 victory when they last faced Leeds in a home match back in January 2023. Leon Bailey and Emi Buendia got the goals, with Patrick Bamford scoring the consolation.