Aston Villa v Ipswich - Matt Maher preview
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00:00Good afternoon from Boddymore Heath, well Unai Emery has held his press conference ahead of Saturday's game with Ipswich and there's some positive news on the injury front for Villa, in some respects anyway.
00:13Tyrone Ming is back available following a knee injury and Olly Watkins also back in contention after missing the FA Cup win over Tottenham with a groin problem.
00:25Now the Ming's news is significant because obviously Villa were down to just one fit senior centre back, well actually no fit senior centre backs with Ezra Konza going off against Tottenham.
00:36So Ming's is back, Axel Di Zazie is available for the first time since completing his deadline day move from Chelsea so Villa getting a bit stronger in defence.
00:48Amadou Anana, Ross Barkley still missing in midfield, Pau Torres and Matty Cash are still some way away and the problem for Villa is it's getting a very hectic schedule.
00:59The Premier League game in Liverpool has been rescheduled for next Wednesday, February the 18th and Villa, sorry February the 19th, Villa less than impressed with that bit of scheduling.
01:16They wanted it moved back later in the season, Unai Emery branding the schedule unfair because Villa did think they had a free week, at least a free mid-week after getting through to the last 16 of the Champions League, avoiding the play-off round.
01:31Feels they've lost a bit of that benefit now, it also means that with the FA Cup fifth round game against Cardiff being scheduled for February the 28th, it means that Villa face five matches in 14 days.
01:48So getting very busy, four of those games are in the Premier League, that's more than a quarter of the remaining Premier League games so this really is a crucial run for Villa over the next 10, 11 days or so.