Unai Emery makes intriguing Diego Carlos hint ahead of Leicester City clash

Unai Emery has hinted Aston Villa defender Diego Carlos could soon be handed game time after he was left as an unused substitute in the win at Chelsea. The Villans ran out 2-0 victors at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn, but Carlos didn’t get the chance to feature.

Villa soared into the top half of the Premier League for the first time under the new manager with a big three points, though the work isn’t done there as another important game follows. Taking on Leicester City on Tuesday in another away fixture, The Lions must keep their focus if they are to close the gap further to those in the European spots.

There could be some rotation to the team that won at Chelsea as not much time has been available to rest and prepare, meaning Carlos could perhaps get a place. “I don’t know exactly because it’s been a long time, but I am thinking and trying to give him [Carlos] some minutes in the next match,” Emery told BirminghamWorld on Saturday.

“I don’t know if I’m going to or not because it depends. He is training well but he needs practice and he needs confidence. It depends each match as to how he’s going to get him back on the pitch helping us,” Emery continued. Keeping his cards fairly close to his chest, the Villa head coach understandably didn’t want to give Leicester any clue as to his team selection.

Emery’s body language - bearing in mind this was on Saturday - suggested maybe even he didn’t quite know which players to start on Tuesday. Carlos may be forced to wait a little while longer following two consecutive clean sheets with an Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings partnership, but whatever happens, it seems Carlos’ full return to Premier League action isn’t too far away.