3 Aston Villa Players to Watch vs Norwich City
By Clayton Nass
Matija Šarkic
It’s time for Matija Šarkic to step between the sticks and show what he can do at the first team level. The ankle injury sustained by Jed Steer late in the match against Leeds did not look too serious, but none the less it opens up a door for the young Matija Šarkic to get a run with the first team. He has spent the last month or so manning the No. 2 GK position behind the aforementioned Steer. This is a great opportunity for him to showcase his skills for next season’s inevitable goalkeeping competition with Jed Steer, Ørjan Nyland, and Lovre Kalanic. The only thing that could affect his availability for Sunday would be the decision for Dean Smith to summon the ghost of Mark Bunn and give him a spot start in lieu of playing Šarkic.
The common theme here? Opportunity. All three players are playing for something a little different, but all should relish the opportunity they’re going to get here to showcase themselves. Solid performances here could provide pivotal knowledge in determining whether or not these players have futures with Aston Villa.