Unai Emery facing major Aston Villa injury concern as fresh update emerges before Man City clash

Aston Villa are sweating connected the fittingness of Johan Manzambi up of their Premier League showdown with Manchester City successful Saturday's aboriginal kick-off.

The £51m summertime signing missed their midweek triumph implicit Viking FK successful the Champions League aft picking up a sound against Newcastle United.

And manager Unai Emery is uncertain whether the in-form midfielder volition retrieve successful time, perchance leaving Villa without 1 of their astir influential caller performers.

Aston Villa look Johan Manzambi uncertainty up of Man City clash

Villa are facing an anxious hold implicit Manzambi's availability aft the midfielder missed their midweek European fixture.

The Switzerland planetary is recovering from the effects of a kick sustained during last weekend's 1-0 triumph astatine St James' Park, leaving Emery unsure whether helium volition beryllium acceptable to look City.

Manzambi has made an awesome interaction since arriving from Freiburg for £51m successful the summer, scoring 3 goals successful his past 4 appearances crossed each competitions.

Emery has stressed that Villa indispensable beryllium prepared to header without the midfielder if helium fails to retrieve successful time.

"We indispensable beryllium acceptable successful lawsuit helium is not (ready), to enactment accordant collectively," the Villa brag said via the Express and Star. "In lawsuit helium tin play, fantastic, but if not, past we hold for the adjacent match. I don't cognize if we volition beryllium available."

Villa volition beryllium aiming to widen their tally of 3 consecutive location victories implicit City, portion Emery's broadside are unbeaten successful their past six matches since losing 2-1 to Nottingham Forest.

However, Villa are inactive searching for their archetypal location triumph successful the Premier League this season, making Saturday's brushwood adjacent much important.

Manzambi lack would beryllium a immense stroke for Villa

Losing Manzambi would beryllium a important setback for Villa, peculiarly fixed the signifier helium has shown successful caller weeks.

Three goals successful 4 appearances underline his increasing influence, and his quality to lend successful the last 3rd gives Emery different magnitude successful midfield. Against a City broadside susceptible of controlling possession for agelong periods, Villa volition request players who tin connection some vigor and attacking threat.

The £51m man's lack would spot greater work connected his teammates to support Villa's caller momentum, with Emery already acknowledging the value of remaining collectively consistent.

There is immoderate encouragement elsewhere successful the squad, however. Alysson enjoyed a memorable afloat location debut against Viking, winning the punishment for Emi Buendia's extremity earlier aboriginal forcing an ain goal.

The 20-year-old Brazilian described the juncture arsenic a "dream night" and volition anticipation to physique connected that show if fixed different accidental against City.

Ultimately, Villa volition not privation to unreserved Manzambi backmost if helium is not afloat recovered, but with City visiting and the midfielder successful specified promising form, Emery volition beryllium hoping his summertime enlistee tin beryllium his fittingness and beryllium disposable for 1 of the club's biggest tests of the season.