Aston Villa defender poised to miss FA Cup clash against Chelsea

Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne is expected to miss their FA Cup clash against Chelsea on Friday night, as per a report by LondonWorld.

The left-back, 30, picked up a hamstring injury last month in the away trip to Manchester United in the Premier League and has since been out of action. Although he is said to have made good progress on his road to recovery, he is poised to sit out again this week.

The Chelsea clash is an opportunity for Unai Emery to shake up his side as they look to progress into the fifth road. Aston Villa beat Middlesbrough 1-0 away at the Riverside Stadium in the third round with Matty Cash scoring a late winner.

Digne has been replaced by Alberto Moreno over recent weeks and will be eager to get his place back in the team when he is fully fit again. Emery won't want to take any risks with him and will only throw him back in when he is ready.

The France international, who has 46 caps under his belt so far in his career, moved to Villa Park in 2022 and has since made 73 appearances in all competitions for his current club, 26 of which have come this season, chipping in with three goals.

He has also played for the likes of Lille, PSG, Barcelona and fellow English side Everton in the past. The full-back is under contract until the summer of 2026 after penning a lengthy four-year deal when he joined.