Unai Emery has confirmed that several Aston Villa players are uncertain for Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Southampton, though he did not name the specific players. Villa head into the match on the back of a much-needed 3-1 win over Brentford on Wednesday, ending an eight-match winless streak. Southampton, who have also struggled away this season, have only picked up one point from their last five away games, with a 1-1 draw at Brighton last week.
One player still working his way back is Amadou Onana, who has missed Villa’s last five matches due to a foot injury. While Emery suggested Onana could potentially be available for Saturday, he believes it is more realistic for the midfielder to make his return in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with RB Leipzig. Meanwhile, Jacob Ramsey is recovering from a hamstring injury and is expected to be sidelined for several more weeks.
Emery provided further clarification, stating, “There are still some doubts about which players will be available tomorrow. Some are dealing with pain, others are fatigued, and we will only know for sure after this afternoon’s training session. By tomorrow morning, we’ll have a clearer idea of the starting lineup. Jacob Ramsey is still weeks away from a return, but he’s progressing well. Onana is close to being back, and he could train with us today, but it’s uncertain whether he will feature against Southampton. Tuesday may be a more realistic target for him.”
Aston Villa have been dominant in recent meetings with Southampton, winning their last three Premier League encounters without conceding a single goal. However, Southampton hold a strong historical record against Villa, with 16 victories in 42 league meetings—tied for their most against any team, alongside Everton and Newcastle. The Saints are also among the few teams in Premier League history to lose 11 of their first 14 matches in a season, with all previous teams in this position eventually relegated.
