Aston Villa have suffered two fresh injury setbacks ahead of their League clash with city

Aston Villa’s build-up to today’s lunchtime clash with Manchester City has not gone smoothly. Unai Emery’s squad is stretched, and the pressure is greatest at full-back. Summer signing Matteo Ruggeri is facing around two months out with a hamstring injury picked up in the draw with Brentford, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka then hurt his own hamstring in the win at Newcastle, which could keep him out for up to a month. Losing both within days of each other is a cruel twist for a club already carrying long-term absentees, with Amadou Onana also sidelined by a cruciate ligament tear. (expressandstar) (dave)

There is a silver lining, though, and it arrives at precisely the right moment. Ian Maatsen’s recovery from his ankle injury has been quicker than feared, and he is back training with the squad at Bodymoor Heath. Emery has said he sees Maatsen as a first-choice option once he is fit, but “back in training” and “ready for 90 minutes against the league leaders” are very different things. The sensible expectation is a place on the bench, with a cameo if the game demands it, rather than a full return from the first whistle. (expressandstar)

That makes Matty Cash the most obvious solution on the right, with Wan-Bissaka out and Cash the natural right-back in his absence. The left side is the real headache. Emery has options, but none is a like-for-like replacement, so expect him to adjust the shape rather than simply patch the hole. One idea is to tuck a full-back into midfield when Villa have the ball, which adds a body against City’s possession game and softens the damage of an unfamiliar defender on the flank. Another is to drop into a deeper, more compact block and rely on the quick transitions Villa have used well this season. (thefalse9)

The attack has its own question mark. Johan Manzambi missed the midweek Champions League win over Viking with a small injury and faces a late fitness test before kick-off. He has been one of Villa’s brightest spots, so losing him would remove a creative spark just when Emery needs one. If he cannot play, Emery could lean on the energy and ball-carrying of Morgan Rogers and John McGinn, and ask the midfield to do more of the pressing work. (hayters)

The mood around the club is better than the injury list suggests. Villa have won four of their last five matches in all competitions after a difficult start, and thrashed Fenerbahce 6-0 last week. Momentum counts for something, and Villa Park has a habit of lifting this team. Still, City arrive as unbeaten Premier League leaders, and they punish any sign of disorganisation at the back. (theScore) (ysscores)

So the sense is that Villa cannot afford to open up. If Maatsen is only fit enough for the bench, the early minutes will be about structure: staying narrow, protecting the full-back areas, and picking the right moments to break. If the makeshift defence holds through the first hour, the late introduction of a fresh left-back and a few attacking changes could give Emery a way to chase something. This is a tough afternoon for a depleted squad, but a well-organised Villa have shown they can make life uncomfortable for the best teams.