Both players are in contention to start Saturday’s game against Newcastle United at Villa Park, but Rudy Gestede, Ross McCormack and Nathan Baker are all facing late fitness tests.
Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Tshibola is fit and available for Saturday’s home game against Newcastle United, manager Roberto Di Matteo has revealed at his pre-match press conference.
Tshibola, who joined Villa from Championship counterparts Reading in the summer for around £5 million, started three of the club’s first four games of the season but has since missed the last five matches with a groin strain.
The 21-year-old played the full 90 minutes of the Under-23 side’s 5-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Monday night, however, and could now make his first-team return against Rafa Benitez’s side.
Elsewhere, Rudy Gestede [hamstring] and Ross McCormack [knee] are both facing late fitness tests ahead of Saturday’s match after sitting out last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Ipswich Town, while Nathan Baker will also need to be assessed before the game after coming off injured in the 28th minute at Portman Road.
Asked about Tshibola’s status and the overall fitness of his squad at his press conference, Di Matteo told reporters: “He played with the Under-23s so he’s back available now. We’ve got obviously a couple of players with knocks which we’ll have to assess over the next couple of days to see how they’re going to recover and feel before the game.
“But apart from that, while we obviously have Ritchie out with a long-term injury, there are only two or three players maybe who are carry some knocks. The rest of the team is good.”
The weekend’s visit of Newcastle could also see Albert Adomah make his first start for Villa since joining the club from Middlesbrough last month.
The Ghana international winger made his claret and blues debut as a late substitute against Ipswich after recovering from a minor knock and has been impressing Di Matteo in training this week.
“We are very pleased he has made his debut at the weekend,” the Villa boss added when asked about Adomah at his press conference. “He is certainly an attacking player who can create an overload and chances for the team. He has very good skills.
“He is very good in one-on-one situations. He is a good crosser and has good movement. He is a good team player, as well.
“He is a very happy character with a good personality. He has fitted into the team very nicely.”
Adomah could potentially replace Jack Grealish in the Villa line-up on Saturday after the latter was placed under a club investigation following reports of another off-field incident, but Di Matteo declined to reveal whether the homegrown midfielder’s latest alleged indiscretion would affect his chances of featuring against the Magpies.
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