Keith Hackett surprised by how Aston Villa staff reacted to grim Lucas Digne incident vs Everton
Lucas Digne suffered an injury as Aston Villa drew against Everton on Saturday.
Villa were without for first-team players against Everton, with supporters left largely underwhelmed by the team selection from Unai Emery.
This saw Emi Buendia surprisingly start against Everton, but the attacking midfielder couldn’t replicate his impact from last time out at Villa Park.
As a result, Villa fell to a goalless draw against Everton, with a bizarre Digne incident taking centre stage in the second half.
This has seen former referee Keith Hackett speak out, highlighting his shock at how the France international was treated at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
This article contains exclusive comments from former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett.
Lucas Digne receives surprising treatment vs Everton
It is fair to say that the overall performance from the Villans on Merseyside left a lot to be desired.
This saw Troy Deeney slam Tyrone Mings’ showing against Everton, in what was far from an isolated case for the claret and blue outfit.
With that being said, Digne put in a largely solid performance despite struggling to make much of an impact in forward areas.
It has to be said that it was a shock to see the left-back remain on the pitch after going down in a collision with Emi Martinez inside the Villa penalty area.
The Frenchman was left with an egg-shaped lump on his forehead almost immediately, with instant concerns raised over the potential of a concussion.
Despite this, Digne remained on the pitch, much to the surprise of former PGMOL chief, Hackett, who was surprised by the verdict of Villa’s medical team.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Hackett said: “Each club has a duty of care towards its employees.
“There is a doctor in attendance along with paramedics. All are capable of determining if this player can continue.
“Head injuries and how they are dealt with were improved after the serious injury to Chelsea’s Peter Cech.
“He will have been assessed, but it is surprising that he was allowed to continue.“
Ian Maatsen should have come on for Aston Villa
The Villa staff would have given the green light for the ex-Everton defender to continue on against his former club.
Regardless of this, head injuries aren’t something that should be taken lightly, and ultimately, the decision should have been taken out of Digne’s hands.
There must have been some impact involved to have an instant lump form, so there was clearly some damage caused by the impact.
It was an interesting decision from the Villa staff, but they are bound to face criticism for allowing a player to continue with a considerable-looking injury.
As a result, Maatsen should have been brought on immediately and handed the chance to see out the rest of the game on Merseyside.