Seven points behind table topping Arsenal, Aston Villa are on the precipice from being eliminated from the Premier League title race. We mean that in a practical, logistical sense of course. It is still too early to talk mathematical or official elimination right now. However, they need to beat AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, and they’re going to need the Gunners to start dropping some more points in order to stay in the hunt. It would help to get their talisman, Ollie Watkins, back from the thigh injury that he’s currently battling.
The Villans really missed Ollie Watkins in the 1-0 loss to Brentford this past Sunday.
Aston Villa at AFC Bournemouth FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday Feb. 7 at the Vitality Stadium (Dean Court), Bournemouth, UK
Premier League Position: Aston Villa 46 points, 3rd AFC Bournemouth 33 points, 12th
Aston Villa Team News
Maybe he could come back this weekend, but we’ll just have to wait and see. We’re not sure about Alysson either, who has been absent with a knee injury. Villa boss Unai Emery has not put a ton of information out there on him. As for the longer term injury absentees, the info is more forthcoming on them.
We won’t be seeing the following players feature for awhile yet:
John McGinn (knee- late March/early April return, most likely), Boubacar Kamara (also a knee, done for the season), Andrés García (thigh/hamstring later on this month) and Youri Tielemans (ankle, mid to late April).
After last week’s result, Saturday is a must win, plain and simple.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.