Aston Villa Academy: Goalkeeping dilemma offers fresh opportunity for Filip Marschall
Aston Villa academy goalkeeper Filip Marschall could be in line for a first-team call-up for Unai Emery’s Boxing Day clash against Liverpool as Emi Martinez’s absence rears its head further down the club.
The Argentina number one is still absent following his World Cup final heroics, while Jed Steer is not deemed fit enough to feature after recovering from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, so Marschall will likely take up the mantle in their stead.
The 19-year-old, who spent last season with Gateshead, played a full 90 minutes of Villa’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Everton on Wednesday (21 December) and is now likely to start the Boxing Day clash as Robin Olsen’s deputy.
The former National League North keeper was also used as a substitute in last week’s defeat to Villarreal at Villa Park, as the coaching staff tried to get him up to speed with the demands and physicality of first-team football.
Marschall trained with the first team during the Qatar World Cup break as he jetted off to Dubai alongside fellow keepers Olsen and Oliwier Zych – who started in goal for the Under-21s’ romp over Blackburn in the Premier League Cup on Wednesday.
Zych could yet feature for Emery, but Marschall has long been regarded to be further in his development, and the Spanish manager is likely to place his faith in the youngster.
Since the 18-year-olds moved to Bodymoor Heath in the summer from Zaglebie Lubin, he has risen through the youth teams with apparent ease and was impressive in keeping a clean sheet in Under-21s 4-0 win against Blackburn.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa may recall 21-year-old shot-stopper Viljami Sinisalo from his loan spell at League One outfit Burton Albion but cannot activate this clause until January – which may prove too late to solve the club’s goalkeeping dilemma.
Although the absence of Martinez and Steer is a short-term issue, the raft of changes within the goalkeeping department could offer opportunities to some of Villa’s brightest stoppers which wouldn’t have been available otherwise.
Hannah Hampton can still kick into top gear for Villa women despite her stop-start WSL season.