Matt Maher brings you the latest from Unai Emery's pre-match press conference ahead of Villa's clash with Liverpool.
In the latest of Villa's busy schedule of five games in 14 days, they welcome the league leaders.
And they will be looking to return to winning ways after their 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town.
In the latest of Villa's busy schedule of five games in 14 days, they welcome the league leaders.
And they will be looking to return to winning ways after their 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town.
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00:00Good afternoon from Villa Park. Another midweek, another game for Villa, not one they particularly
00:08wanted this week. Liverpool coming to town on Wednesday night, a month ahead of when
00:14they were originally scheduled to, their participation in the Carabao Cup final when the match has
00:20been brought forward and further into a congested schedule for Villa which Unai Emery we know
00:26he's not happy about but he didn't talk about that today in his pre-match press conference
00:31that was addressed last week. Today was more about the injury situation at Villa, the injury
00:38epidemic which continues to go on particularly in Villa's defence. The question is, is there
00:44a more risky profession in the world at the minute than playing in Villa's back line?
00:49Anyone who seems to go in there gets injured including Boubacar Kamara, obviously an outstanding
00:55midfielder who was deputised at the back for one of the last four games. He's going
01:01to be missing for at least a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury that he picked up
01:06early on in Saturday's draw. With Ipswich, good news for Villa is that obviously they
01:12signed Axel Di Zazie on deadline day and he can play against Liverpool on Wednesday night.
01:19Tyrone Mings is also ready to start but Villa down to the bare bones in defence and Emery
01:26said that he has spoken to his medical department about the injury situation as they look for
01:31solutions and perhaps why they're sustaining so many injuries. Kamara was the fifth player
01:40in consecutive games to go off in the first half for Villa with an injury and many of
01:44them have been muscle injuries which sometimes would suggest that they're being overworked
01:50but Emery said that he's not sure why Villa are suffering so badly. The good news is that
01:58help is on the horizon, whether it will arrive in time for Wednesday's game is yet to be
02:04seen. Leon Bailey who missed Saturday's game through injury is close to returning as are
02:10Matty Cash and Esri Konza according to Unai Emery. He's going to make a decision on all
02:16three tomorrow morning. You'd think Bailey is the most likely to come back in. In terms
02:21of Konza, well he will be important when he comes back and you do wonder if there is any
02:27chance of him coming back, whether Emery might wait until Saturday's game against Chelsea.
02:34It's a big week for Villa, only one point from the draw with Ipswich on Saturday and
02:41a real feeling that they need a couple of big results in the next week or so to get
02:46their challenge for a European place through the league back on track.