Unai Emery hopes that Tyrone Mings will be available for the Champions League conflict Aston Villa Crunch League with the Celtic tomorrow night-but insists that he has alternative plans if the central pole is excluded in England.
On Sunday, Mings pulled out of a villa with West Ham with a knee problem and, although Emery said it was not a “big injury”, there are still doubts whether he would be cleaned to face the hoops.
Villa must win in order to have any chance of embarking on the top eight league phase and providing an automatic qualification for the 16th round. If not, they will compete in the playoffs.
Defense care of the villa
Recent sales of ankle injuries Diego Carlos and Pau Torres means that Villa is a smaller number in the center of the defense, and Emery hopes Mings will break through.
Unai is an update of Tyrone Mings: “It’s not a big injury, but every day it will be very important so that it can feel better or worse. We will train this afternoon and we will see how it feels.” pic.twitter.com/p5c9cnau9
– Aston Villa (@Avfcofficial) 28 January 2025
He said, “We will see this afternoon and then we will decide how every player feels. We also have Lamare Bogarda in the team, he trains every day and competing very well.
“Sil [Swinkels] is another option because he trains with us, but we think about letting him go on loan. I think he’ll need more experience to get a few minutes.
“We have enough players to compete and feel confidence. For example, Lucas raises her left leg and is an experienced player. May feel confidently [playing at centre-back]. First, if Tyrone Mings is available, he could play, but if not, Bogarde-which he usually played in the middle of the field-sometimes trains as a central back. I am convinced and believe in the team we have.
“We now have injured players, but that’s something that has every team. We have a circumstance when Diego Carlos wanted to leave and he pushed us to let him go. I believe in the players we have on the team.”
McGinn is likely to start
John McGinn is appropriate after appearing as a replacement against West Ham and is likely to return to the initial XI.
Celtic is a guaranteed place in the playoffs and will arrive in Birmingham in a confident mood.
Emery added: “They had very experienced players, international players and will play here tomorrow, feeling confident.
“The club is a prestigious club and players believe that the team that will play in Europe, the Champions League.”
