Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is grappling with a significant selection headache ahead of his side's Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.
Injury List Mounts for Villa
The Midlands club could be missing as many as six first-team players for the trip to Selhurst Park. The quick turnaround following Saturday's 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest has exacerbated the situation, leaving Emery with limited options.
Key defenders Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings are both closing in on returns but are not expected to be available for the Palace fixture, with their comebacks projected within the next week to ten days. Midfielder Amadou Onana is facing a longer spell on the sidelines.
Further compounding Emery's issues, Ross Barkley remains out injured, while forward Evann Guessand is away representing Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Uncertainty Over New Signing and Loanee
The availability of new January signing Alysson, who joined from Brazilian side Gremio, is also unclear as he settles into the squad. Meanwhile, the club has confirmed that Harvey Elliott will not feature again for Villa as discussions with Liverpool continue over terminating his loan spell early.
This news comes after a mixed set of results for Villa. Their win against Forest followed a heavy 4-1 defeat at Arsenal, which brought an end to an impressive 11-match unbeaten run in the league.
Villa's Stance in the Table
Despite the personnel issues, Villa travel to London in a strong league position. They currently hold an 11-point cushion over fifth-placed Chelsea, who drew with Manchester City on Sunday, as they aim to consolidate their place in the top four.
Emery is scheduled to address the media at the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground, where a fuller update on the squad's condition is anticipated before the midweek clash.
