Huge Blow For Aston Villa Ahead Of Bournemouth Clash: Injury Crisis Rules Out THREE Key Stars

Unai Emery has arrived at the Vitality Stadium for tonight’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie with a few more problems than he would like. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Matteo Ruggeri and Amadou Onana are all unavailable, and the timing stings. Villa have been flying, with six wins from their last seven games in all competitions, including a 2-1 Premier League victory over Manchester City at the weekend. (Aston Villa Injury News vs Bournemouth: Wan-Bissaka and Ruggeri Out +2)

The longest absence belongs to Onana. The midfielder is expected to miss the season after rupturing his ACL during the summer. Losing his energy and ball-winning in the middle of the park is a serious setback to Emery’s squad planning, and it will test the depth of the midfield for months rather than weeks. (livescore)

Wan-Bissaka’s absence is more immediate. He pulled up in the second half of the win at Newcastle on 17 October, and Emery has since said he expects the full-back to be out for three to four weeks. That leaves a gap at right-back that someone else must fill. Ruggeri is also missing, with a muscular issue expected to keep him out for at least a few weeks, which thins Villa’s defensive options further.