Unai Emery confirms Aston Villa injury setback ahead of Premier League clash vs Man United

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has confirmed an injury setback for his team ahead of their Premier League clash against Manchester United.

The Reds have experienced a mixed start to their Premier League campaign, winning only two of their first five matches.

A commanding 7-0 victory over League One side Barnsley secured their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round.

Erik ten Hag’s side now turn their attention to the Europa League, another competition where they are aiming for success this season, with an upcoming clash against FC Twente.

After that comes fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur and FC Porto before the Reds travel to Villa Park in two weeks time.

Emery confirms injury setback

Villa boss Unai Emery will be missing several key players for when United come to town, including his most trusted lieutenant.

Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings are both unavailable for selection due to long-term knee injuries.

Meanwhile, Jaden Philogene-Bidace is currently out with an injury and is not scheduled to return in time for the United clash.

During the Villains’ 3-1 win over Wolves on the weekend, captain John McGinn was replaced at half-time with an issue and Emery has since confirmed the extent of the injury.

With the midfielder set to miss “a few weeks” with a hamstring problem, it seems that he will be missing the United game, which will be a big blow for Emery’s side.

“It is a hamstring injury. When we arrived here, he had a hamstring injury against Tottenham in January and today I think it is less than that injury. But he will be not available, I think, for a few weeks,” Emery told reporters.

A difficult game for United

Nonetheless, even without their captain, Villa will still provide the toughest opponent of the season yet for United.

The recent draw against Crystal Palace showed positive signs should United be able to find their scoring touch. They have three fixtures before travelling to Birmingham and will hope to have built some momentum before their journey.

Ten Hag knows that the team need to improve in multiple areas, and more importantly, start getting points on the board.

These are the games that his side have typically struggled in during his tenure at Old Trafford, so a victory could be a big statement, but it is definitely easier said than done.

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