Dean Smith has confirmed Danny Ings will not face his former side Southampton on Friday night, but Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey has avoided an injury, via Birmingham Live.
Ings joined the Villans from the Saints this summer in a £25m transfer with his contract on the south coast set to expire next year. The 29-year-old has proven a key player for Smith, but missed the Villans’ defeat to West Ham United last week.
The Irons’ 4-1 win at Villa Park was Aston Villa’s first Premier League match without Ings since his arrival. Sitting out the game due to a muscle injury, along with Douglas Luiz, who also remains absent this weekend.
Smith hopes to welcome Ings and Luiz back from injury for Aston Villa’s following Premier League fixture against Brighton. The pair will have the international break to recover before hosting the Seagulls on November 20.
Bertrand Traore will also aim to use the 15-day break between games to overcome a thigh injury. The 26-year-old has not featured in the Villans’ last three Premier League fixtures due to the issue sustained last month. Keeping him to just 53-minutes so far this season.
Ings out for Aston Villa, but Ramsey avoids injury
Losing Ings to injury for Aston Villa’s trip to Southampton will be a big loss for Smith, having scored three goals so far this season since moving to Birmingham. The 29-year-old has also laid on two assists over his nine appearances, marking a joint-team high figure.
But while Smith has confirmed Ings and Luiz will be absent on the south coast, Ramsey may feature. The 20-year-old has avoided injury after exiting the field after 15-minutes against West Ham with a suspected high ankle sprain.
Ramsey’s issue proved to be not as bad as feared and is recovering well to be in contention for Friday. Handing Smith a welcome boost, with his future at Villa Park potentially hanging by a thread. Defeat this weekend will mark their fifth in a row, after a dire run of form.
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