Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Everton - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - September 18, 2021 Aston Villa's Leon Bailey applauds fans as he walks off the pitch to be substituted REUTERS/Hannah Mckay EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Ashley Preece is ‘expecting’ Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey to return against Wolves on Saturday.
The Lowdown: Bailey’s injury
The 24-year-old actually injured himself when he scored his first goal for Villa following his summer move from Bayer Leverkusen. The Jamaican suffered a thigh strain against Everton and missed games with Manchester United and Tottenham as a result.
Villa were targeting a return following the international break against Wolves this weekend, and Preece believes that it could be on the cards.
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The Latest: Preece’s tweet
Reliable reporter Preece took to Twitter on Monday evening to inform supporters of Bertrand Traore’s latest injury.
He was asked by one fan for any news on Bailey, to which he replied: “I’m expecting him to play some part on Saturday, Smith might not want to risk him from the start. We’ll wait and see. Due a team news update later this week.”
Preece’s post appeared to go under the radar, with just one retweet and four likes as of Tuesday morning.
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The Verdict: Good news
Even if Dean Smith doesn’t risk Bailey from the start on Saturday and places him on the bench, it will still give Villa a big boost for the game against their Midlands rivals.
Bailey has already shown what he can do off the bench at Villa Park, and another starring cameo display this weekend could make all the difference if it is a tight match.
Hopefully he will be in and around the matchday squad on Saturday, but if he isn’t fully fit, he shouldn’t be risked.
In other news: Smith looking to pip Arteta again as Aston Villa eye move for ace who has the same agency as Mings
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