Aston Villa suffer fresh injury blow ahead of Ipswich Town clash
Aston Villa are targeting their fifth win in six Premier League games this weekend as Unai Emery’s side take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town on Sunday (2pm kick-off).
Sitting one point off the top of the table, Villa came back from behind in their last two home games against Everton and Wolves to claim victories. After defeating West Ham at the London Stadium on the opening weekend of the season and also winning at Leicester City, Villa are aiming to keep their 100 per cent away record intact in Suffolk.
Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys have made a steady start to the season after their promotion to the top-flight. They are unbeaten in their last three matches having lost against Liverpool and Manchester City in their first two.
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They kept a clean sheet against Brighton at the Amex between 1-1 draws at home against Fulham and at Southampton last time out. Sam Morsy’s deflected strike denied fellow promoted side Southampton their first win of the campaign.
Villa head into the clash on the back of a 2-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, but were handed a fresh injury concern as Diego Carlos dropped out the squad. The centre-back felt discomfort in the warm-up and was replaced on the bench with young defender Thierry Katsukunya.
Emery will give a team news update in his press conference later this week, but could be without Carlos just a week after he made his first start of the season against Wolves. Lamare Bogarde could play at right-back while Matty Cash is not expected to return for the weekend game, but is hoping to train before the Bayern Munich clash next week.
If Bogarde starts, then Ezri Konsa will play at centre-back alongside Pau Torres, with Lucas Digne likely to keep his place at left-back despite Ian Maatsen’s impressive display against Wycombe and off the bench against Wolves last time out in the Premier League.
Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans are expected to continue in the double pivot with Morgan Rogers supporting Ollie Watkins in attack. Leon Bailey should make his first league start since the win over Leicester before the September international break and Jacob Ramsey is likely to operate from the left.
Lee Hendrie admits he felt sorry for Wycombe Wanderers after claiming Jhon Duran bought a penalty in Aston Villa’s win over the League One side in the Carabao Cup.
The Colombia international made his first start of the season after his impressive appearances off the bench, where he has bagged four goals in five matches. Emi Buendia broke the deadlock against Wycombe at Adams Park by heading in after Kadan Young’s deflected cross.
Duran then linked up with Ross Barkley before winning a penalty 30 minutes after Buendia’s opener. He appeared to initiate contact with goalkeeper Franco Ravizzoli before being awarded the spot-kick, which he converted in front of the away supporters.
