Aston Villa suffer major injury blow as Ollie Watkins hobbles off

Ollie Watkins was forced off in the first half of Aston Villa’s Europa League meeting with RB Salzburg.

The striker was named in the starting XI for Thursday night’s showdown but exited with an apparent hamstring injury just 35 minutes into the game.

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The England international pulled up after attempting to stretch for the ball, just two minutes after Karim Konate had given Salzburg the lead at Villa Park.

And with no Tammy Abraham on the bench, Emery called upon Morgan Rogers to lead the charge after Watkins came off.

Watkins’ withdrawal adds Villa’s mounting injury crisis, with key trio Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn all currently sidelined.

Douglas Luiz, who returned to the Midlands side this week, was also ineligible to feature in the Europa League for them.

Head coach Unai Emery made a number of changes for the welcome of Salzburg, with George Hemmings, Lamine Bogarde and Lucas Digne among those to feature from the outset.

Surprisingly, Harvey Elliott was named in the starting XI for the European tie, despite effectively being told that his time at the club was over.

Elliott moved to Villa on loan on deadline day last September with a conditional obligation to buy dependant on a set number of appearances being made.

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However, Elliott returned to the matchday squad for Sunday’s 2-0 win at Newcastle, though was an unused sub at St. James’ Park, which prompted speculation that Villa had removed the appearance-based obligation in the deal.

To ‘Ell and Back

Emery, though, poured cold water on the theory despite the England U21 international featuring in midweek.

“Still there are five days to finish the window. Everything we said before, only injuries can change it, like Luiz is a player joining us because of central midfield injuries,” Emery said when asked on Elliott’s situation.

“With Harvey, it is not changing. We have our idea. I spoke with Harvey clearly. I said before that he is a fantastic guy.

“He was on the bench against Newcastle on Sunday and was there if we needed help from him, he was ready to play.

“Tomorrow he is in the squad as well. He is involved in the squad tomorrow, but it is not changing the situation he has now.”

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Evann Guessand, meanwhile, wasn’t included for the Villa team to take on Salzburg on Thursday night as the Ivorian closes in on a move to Crystal Palace.

Guess who?

Guessand, who was with Ivory Coast for their doomed AFCON defence in Morocco over the festive period, only moved to Villa over the summer, joining from French side Nice.

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The 24-year-old has featured fairly regularly for the Villans, making six starts and a further seven sub appearances in the Premier League this season.

Guessand, though, is now set for a loan move to Palace, which includes a £28m obligation to buy if certain obligations are met.

If the transfer does become permanent, then Guessand will put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Selhurst Park.

Palace have already brought in Brennan Johnson this month, and were expected to wrap up the £50m addition of Jorgen Strand Larsen on Thursday.

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The Eagles had verbally agreed a deal in principle to bring in the Norway international.

Table footers Wolves were awaiting a formal offer that never arrived despite positive talks with Palace over the switch as the south London side instead prioritised a push for Guessand.