Aston Villa handed further injury concern ahead of Sunderland clash

Aston Villa have been handed another injury concern ahead of next weekend’s Premier League home game with Sunderland.

Unai Emery is already preparing to face the Black Cats without the services of midfielder Amadou Onana and defensive duo Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri. There was one major injury concern for the former PSG and Arsenal head coach as summer signing Johan Manzambi is rated as a doubt to feature against Regis Le Bris’ men as he undergoes treatment on a calf injury after withdrawing from the Switzerland squad for Nations League fixtures with Slovenia and Scotland.

A statement released by the Swiss FA late last week read: "Despite intensive medical care and further assessment, his condition has not improved sufficiently, making it impossible for him to feature in either match. In consultation with Aston Villa, Manzambi will return to his club this Friday."

However, Emery has now been handed a further injury concern after full-back Matty Cash suffered a concussion during Poland’s Nations League defeat against Romania on Saturday. The former Nottingham Forest man was caught by Romania striker Daniel Birligea and was replaced by Arkadiusz Pyrka with just under quarter of an hour remaining in Bucharest - and the Polish FA have now confirmed Cash has returned to Villa.

A statement released on social media read: “Matty Cash is leaving the ongoing Poland national team training camp due to a concussion. The defender suffered the injury during Saturday’s match against Romania in Bucharest and will be unable to play in Tuesday’s match against Sweden.”

Villa were expecting to have Cash back in contention for Saturday’s game after he completed a suspension in their dramatic 4-4 draw at Manchester United prior to the international break - but he could now have to undergo concussion protocols and that puts the full-back at risk of missing the meeting with the Black Cats.

Sunderland will be without Habib Diarra, Romaine Mundle and Dan Ballard for the trip to Villa Park - but defender Omar Alderete will return from a suspension and captain Granit Xhaka is expected to feature after picking up an injury in the recent win against Chelsea.

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