Aston Villa's crucial FA Cup victory at Tottenham Hotspur was marred by a significant injury concern for midfielder Boubacar Kamara. The French international was forced off the pitch early in the match after a heavy challenge.
How the injury occurred
The incident took place in the ninth minute of the third-round tie at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Kamara, having skilfully evaded Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, was then tripped by the Portuguese player's outstretched leg. The challenge caught Kamara around the knee area, sending him to the ground in clear discomfort.
Kamara initially attempted to play on but quickly signalled to teammate Ezri Konsa to put the ball out of play so he could receive treatment on the pitch. After spending several minutes receiving attention from the medical staff, the 25-year-old was helped to his feet. He was then seen hobbling down the tunnel, unable to continue.
Unai Emery's post-match assessment
Speaking after the 2-1 win, Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed the club would assess the player fully the following day. "Tomorrow we will check him. We will know something about his injury," Emery stated in his post-match press conference.
The Spanish coach emphasised the need for patience but expressed hope that the issue would not be severe. "Of course, we must be patient until tomorrow. Hopefully it's not a big injury, and something less than more," he added.
Injury compounds Villa's midfield worries
The potential loss of Kamara presents a fresh headache for Emery, who is already dealing with several absences in the engine room. The Villa boss confirmed that summer signing Amadou Onana will be sidelined for the next two to three weeks. Experienced midfielder Ross Barkley is also currently unavailable through injury.
There was some positive news on the team sheet, however. Defender Tyrone Mings returned to the matchday squad for the first time since his serious knee injury in August, taking a place on the bench. Furthermore, centre-back Pau Torres started his first match since Villa's win over Arsenal in December, a game he himself had to leave early due to injury.
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez missed the trip to North London entirely due to a calf problem. The extent of Kamara's injury will now be a primary concern for Villa as they await scan results, with hopes that the influential midfielder's layoff will be a short one.
