Unai Emery provides positive injury update on two key Aston Villa players

Speaking during his press conference this afternoon ahead of Aston Villa's match with Ipswich Town on Sunday, Unai Emery has confirmed Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara will return to action for the club next week.

Both players suffered ACL injuries last season, with Mings suffering his on the opening day against Newcastle United and Kamara during the loss to Manchester United in Februrary. Emery has confirmed that after 13 and 7 months out, respectively, the two will play for Aston Villa under-21s next week ahead of returning to first team action after the international break.

Emery confirms it's good news for Mings and Kamara

"They are training very well. They started to be 100% last week. The plan is to try and play 45 minutes with under-21s next week."

- Unai Emery

Mings and Kamara, who both provided great quality in the spine of the Villa team, will play for the under-21s against Newcastle United in the Premier League 2 on Saturday 5th October. If they are fit and able, they will play again against Bolton in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday 8th October.

Boubacar Kamara had started all 20 of the previous league games prior to the Manchester United game, when he suffered his knee injury. His partnership with Douglas Luiz in Villa's midfield had quickly become one of the most formidable midfield partnerships in the Premier League. Many believe that Villa and Luiz's poorer run of form in the second half of last season was as a result of Kamara's absence from the team.

Do they slot straight back into the starting XI when available?

Aston Villa have had a very positive start to the new season, off the back of a historical Champions League qualifying season last time out. Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana have formed an excellent bond in the Villa midfield and it is unlikely that Onana, signed for £50 million in the summer, will lose his place in the team.

Villa's biggest issue this season, as well as last, has been at the back. In particular, defending set pieces and crosses into the box. When Mings was ever-present at the back for Villa, the team conceded far fewer goals due to his dominant aerial ability and commanding stature at the heart of the defence. However, much of Villa's attacking play runs through Pau Torres, playing in Mings' position at left centre-back, and it would seem implausible that the Spanish international would lose his place.

There have been several suggestions made across the Villa fan base. The team have an obvious gap in quality in defence and that is at right-back. With Matty Cash missing the last four games through injury, Emery has had to call upon youngster Lamare Bogarde to step in and despite some promising moments, he has struggled. Many are suggesting that Kamara could come in at right-back. Being defensively minded, his one-on-one defending ability could make him a legitimate option in that position.

Others are calling for Villa to go to a back three, with Konsa on the right, Torres on the left and Mings down the middle. This would no doubt change the way Villa play and other adjustments in the personnel and system would have to be made, but the team would concede far fewer goals from set pieces if Mings can be a part of the defence.

No matter what Emery decides to do when the two are fit enough to be involved in the matchday squad, this is great news for the club and they will add great quality to a squad with already great depth.

UTV