When could Ian Maatsen return for Aston Villa after injury update?
Ian Maatsen is making positive progress on his injury for Aston Villa.
The left-back suffered an ankle injury in Villa's 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break, which forced his side to see the game out with 10 men on the field.
The Dutchman has missed three competitive games since his setback and has been sidelined for more than 30 days now.
Matteo Ruggeri stepped in once more to take his place in the 2-2 draw to Brentford on Saturday, but was taken off at the break after suffering his own injury.
With the Italian now expected to be sidelined for a while with a hamstring issue, Unai Emery has to figure out a solution with Matty Cash and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
But Villa have been boosted by a latest update regarding Maatsen's fitness, so when could he be back for the B6 side?
Ian Maatsen injury latest
Maatsen was clearly a favourite in Emery's pecking order before he got injured, as Ruggeri was struggling to break into the starting eleven.
As per FotMob's Premier League data, Maatsen has an average of 86 per cent passing success for the Villans, with a long-ball competition rate of 60 per cent.
The 24-year-old makes an average of 1.91 interceptions and tackles per game and an overall effort of 6.55 defensive contributions per match.
Last season, he created 1.46 chances per game, offering Emery an extra outlet from the left flank with a 22.2 per cent crossing accuracy, and so his return is crucial for the Villa.
As per Jacob Tanswell on X, Maatsen returned to individual work on the grass for the first time since his injury this week, with a view to step up his recovery.
While Ruggeri could be out for the rest of the month, Emery will take confidence in knowing that Cash and Wan-Bissaka can fill in for the meantime while Maatsen recovers.
But when will the former Chelsea youth product return for Villa?
When could Maatsen return for Aston Villa?
Interestingly, Villa had a better second half after Ruggeri went off injured against Brentford.
The Villans improved their possession by four per cent, and used 53 per cent of their attacking zones down the left-hand side, compared to 31 per cent in the first 45.
Emery will be prepared to roll up his sleeves until Maatsen fully recovers.
The left-back will most likely not be available for Villa's midweek clash against Fenerbahce or the game against Newcastle on Saturday, but he could be in the squad the following week for Viking and Manchester City.
Maatsen has been injured for a month now, which means he has suffered a grade 2 ankle injury, though he may just need a week at Bodymoor to get his strength up before being able to step back on the pitch for Villa.