Early Aston Villa team news vs Sunderland: Unai Emery to reinstate star to starting XI after injury
Aston Villa make the trip up to the Stadium of Light on Sunday to take on Sunderland in their fifth Premier League game of the new season.
Villa’s start to the season has been incredibly concerning, with Unai Emery’s side one of only two teams in the Premier League not to have won a game yet, alongside Wolves.
Villa’s key players like Ollie Watkins appear to be jaded after a summer of speculation regarding a potential move away from Villa Park, as the hard work Emery has done in B6 looks to be falling apart.
A win against Sunderland would go a long way in putting some of this negativity surrounding the Villans to bed, and this could be made easier with the positive news regarding one of their key players’ injuries.
This story includes exclusive opinion from injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar, a doctor in physical therapy and a sports scientist.
Boubacar Kamara ‘very well could’ start against Sunderland
Kamara, 25, started both of Villa’s opening two Premier League matches, but the French midfielder was forced off early in the game against Brentford through injury.
Kamara’s presence in the engine room was a big miss for Emery and Co. as Villa went on to lose to Brentford and Crystal Palace, before picking up a draw against Everton, in Kamara’s absence.
During Villa’s defeat to Brentford in the Carabao Cup in midweek, as the sides met for the second time this season, Kamara was able to come on as a late substitute in the 74th minute as he works his way back to full fitness following his hamstring injury.
Dr Rajpal Brar claims that Kamara’s cameo against Brentford bodes well for his potential return to the starting XI, as long as the player continues to respond well in training.
Speaking about Kamara’s absence, Dr Brar told Villa News: “Considering he only missed two games with the hamstring injury, which likely means this was only a Grade 1 strain – and was able to get bounce minutes, he very well could be in line to start this weekend as long as he is responding well to training.“
Villa were already the favourites against Sunderland, but this positive update surrounding Kamara may have just increased their chances of winning even further.
Boubacar Kamara return would be a much-needed boost for Aston Villa
Kamara was one of Villa’s best players in their draw against Newcastle on the opening day, as he showed his importance to the side.
Whilst Villa’s attack struggled, Kamara shone in the goalless draw, putting out fires in the centre of the park as Villa had to play over 20 minutes of the game with ten men following Ezri Konsa’s dismissal.
- Kamara won six of his eight ground duels
- The combative midfielder also won four out of the five aerial duels he was involved in
- Kamara also managed to make two tackles, two clearances and one interception (Sofascore)
All five of the goals Emery’s men have conceded this season in all competitions have come when Kamara has not been on the pitch, and the Frenchman would add some much-needed bite to their midfield in their game against Sunderland, who have started the season promisingly.
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