Aston Villa injury blow confirmed and Unai Emery gives Ross Barkley update ahead of Brighton
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gave a team news update ahead of facing Brighton on Wednesday (7:45pm)
Unai Emery has confirmed that Ross Barkley has returned to full training at Bodymoor Heath, but Leon Bailey will be unavailable for Aston Villa’s match against Brighton.
Bailey returned from international duty last Friday after representing Jamaica but suffered a contact injury.
As a result, he was not included in the squad that faced Preston North End. Barkley was also sidelined, while Axel Disasi was cup-tied.
Barkley has been recovering from a knee ligament injury since January and has missed Villa’s last 16 matches in all competitions.
“We are having our training session this afternoon, trying to take time after the match we played,” Emery said in his press conference.
“Barkley was training with the group yesterday. Bailey had a hard kick, I don't think he will train this afternoon and it will be difficult to play the match," before later confirming he will be unavailable.
“After the match we played and the training we will do, hopefully everybody else," Emery added."
Villa have won two of their last three league games, as many as their previous nine beforehand, while they are looking to win back-to-back away games in the Premier League for the first time since winning their first two such outings of this season.
Brighton have won just one of their five Premier League home games against Villa, though it did come in this exact fixture last season.
After winning five consecutive Premier League games against the south coast club between November 2021 and September 2023, Villa are now winless in their last two against them.
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