Unai Emery gives Ollie Watkins injury update ahead of Aston Villa vs Ipswich

Unai Emery has shared an update on the fitness of Ollie Watkins ahead of Aston Villa’s Premier League clash with Ipswich Town on Saturday.

And the Villa manager has also suggested that Axel Disasi could make his debut for the club following his deadline day loan move from Chelsea.

After picking up just two points from their last three league games, the Villans are looking to get back on track when they host relegation-threatened Ipswich.

There were fears they’d have to do so without talisman Watkins after he was forced off at half-time of the 2-0 defeat at Wolves and subsequently missed the FA Cup win over Tottenham last Sunday.

The England striker, who was linked with a transfer to Arsenal in January, has been dealing with a muscle injury, one of many fitness issues Emery is having to deal with.

But in his pre-match press conference, the Spaniard confirmed Watkins was ready to take on the Tractor Boys: ‘Still out for tomorrow are Matty Cash, Pau Torres, Ezri Konsa, Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley.

‘Those who have trained this morning with the group and are in the squad are Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins.’

Watkins has 11 goals and nine assists in all competitions this season, with his performances helping Villa qualify for the Champions League last-16, while the club are eighth in the Premier League.

His return is timely, with Emery’s side set to take on top of the table Liverpool and top four rivals Chelsea next week.

With Torres and Konsa out and Mings only just back in training after recovering from a knee injury, it seems highly likely that Disasi will make his Villa debut on Saturday.

The centre-back fell out of favour under Enzo Maresca but is hoping to restart his career at Villa Park, much like Marcus Rashford who could make his first Villa start since joining on loan from Manchester United.

Asked if he was happy with the balance of his squad following a busy January, Emery replied: ‘Yes but my opinion on how we are doing, the process, is still always being in balance.

‘The balance is because we have to see it, in the process we are going to create and to be here.

‘Each match is an opportunity where we can see if we are getting stronger or not, if we are closer to our objective in our demands or not.

‘This is the next challenge I have for the next three-and-a-half months in the different competitions, they’re very exciting ones we have, FA Cup, Champions League and the Premier League.’

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