Aston Villa have suffered a significant injury blow ahead of their clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
With Roberto De Zerbi’s men trailing 17th-place West Ham by two points, they will see their trip to Villa as a must-win game in their quest to stay in the Premier League.
The Lilywhites picked up a crucial away win against Wolves last weekend, and they will be looking to emerge victorious again from their return to the Midlands.
As has been the case for much of the season, Tottenham have a long list of injury absentees for the key clash, but their opponents could also be without one of their most important players.
Amadou Onana is a doubt for Aston Villa against Tottenham
Aston Villa went down 1-0 in the first leg of the Europa League semifinal away at the City Ground on Thursday, and they also suffered a big blow in the process.
Key midfielder Amadou Onana was forced off with an injury in the first period, and appears to be a doubt to face Spurs on Sunday.
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Speaking after the game, Unai Emery said about Onana (via The Standard): “In the first half, he was telling us he was feeling something in his calf, but in another leg. I don’t know how he’s going to recover. Hopefully, in a few days, he can recover. But of course, we must be careful with him as well.”
Spurs play Villa at the perfect time
Emery’s men are on course to finish in the top five and qualify for the Champions League, and their primary focus would thus be on the Europa League semifinals.
Given the importance of the second leg for a club that has gone 30 years without a trophy, one would expect Emery to rotate his side to keep some key players fresh for next Thursday.
Tottenham may thus have an opportunity to steal three points against a side which may not want the result as badly as they do at Villa Park.