Ross Barkley Injury adds to January Missing List
Aston Villa’s 3rd round FA Cup clash with West Ham was meant to be an opportunity for Ross Barkley to continue building momentum after his decisive performance against Leicester City in the Premier League. Instead, it turned into a frustrating evening for Barkley, as he limped off after just 22 minutes, dealing Villa another midfield headache.
Barkley Momentum Cut Short
Barkley, who had opened the scoring in Villa’s recent 2-1 victory over Leicester City, was hoping to carry that form into the FA Cup. However, after only eight touches, his night was cut short when he went down clutching his calf. He was replaced by Amadou Onana, who would later score the equaliser for Villa against the Hammers.
Despite a lack of consistent starts, Barkley has been quietly effective this season. With three goals in just three Premier League starts (and 13 substitute appearances), his knack for finding the net has been a useful contribution to Villa’s midfield. His absence will undoubtedly be felt as Villa navigates a busy schedule across multiple competitions in January – juggling FA Cup commitments, Premier League fixtures, and their ongoing Champions League campaign.
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Unai Emery’s Update on the Injury
Speaking after Villa’s 2-1 FA Cup win, Unai Emery gave a cautious update on Barkley’s condition:
“He had a small injury in his calf, hopefully not a lot. Tomorrow we will check him but normally two or three weeks out,” said Emery.
While the prognosis suggests a short-term absence, the injury comes at an inconvenient time for both Barkley and Villa, with the club already without John McGinn and Pau Torres during a potentially season-defining month.
Still, it was encouraging to see Onana rediscover his goal-scoring form after a shaky return from his recent injury. Emery will be hoping the Belgian, alongside the returning Jacob Ramsey, can provide the support needed for Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara in the Villa midfield over the coming weeks.
UTV
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