Aston Villa boosted as £47m Man Utd player unavailable for Villa Park showdown

Unai Emery’s side have received an early boost ahead of the weekend’s Premier League clash with Man Utd as Bruno Fernandes is unavailable to play.

The Red Devils’ skipper was shown a straight red card by referee Chris Kavanagh against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon. Fernandes will miss United’s next three domestic matches - against Villa, Brentford and West Ham - as the offence was labelled as violent conduct.

It was a controversial sending off as Fernandes appeared to slip before making contact midway up Spurs midfielder James Maddison’s shin. No studs were used by the United man, either, so it seemed a little harsh at the time. There’s no sign of an appeal yet, however.

If Man Utd don’t demand a reconsideration of the ban from the Football Association, Fernandes will definitely miss three games. If they do appeal and fail, there’s a risk the player could see his ban extended. It’s a perilous situation.

Villa won’t care, though, as the absence of Fernandes is likely to hurt United’s chances of winning on Sunday. Although the attacking midfielder is currently out of form, he remains one of the Manchester club’s most prized assets and can change any game in an instant.

The Villans are set to be without their captain, too, as John McGinn remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. It’s hoped the Scot can return after the upcoming international break, just in time for Villa’s Premier League away trip to Fulham on October 19.