Konsa, Bailey, Barkley: Unai Emery gives Aston Villa injury updates ahead of Chelsea clash

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gave a team news update ahead of facing Chelsea on Saturday.
Ezri Konsa and Leon Bailey could be included in the Aston Villa squad to face Chelsea, but Unai Emery says Ross Barkley will need a few more days before he returns.

Konsa has missed Villa’s last two games against Liverpool and Ipswich after suffering an injury in the win over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup, while Bailey has also been absent in that time. “We are going to train later,” Emery said when asked about Konsa. “He did the composition work with the players. I will test him and in case he is feeling good he will be in the squad.”
Barkley, meanwhile, hasn’t featured since the win over West Ham in the third round of the FA Cup, when he was replaced in the first half due to a calf injury.

“Barkley is a little bit slower than we wanted and we planned,” Emery added. “He is close to starting us in a few days. Onana and Kamara will be two or three weeks. Disasi tomorrow he can’t play. Konsa could be with us in the squad. Cash played 20 or 30 minutes in the last match.
“Leon Bailey trained yesterday and it’s the same like Konsa. In case he trains normally he will be available in the squad.”

Cash made his return from injury against Liverpool, replacing Andres Garica late on. The Poland international had missed Villa’s previous three matches.

Villa have won just two of their last 11 Premier League home games against Chelsea, beating them 1-0 in March 2014 and 2-1 in May 2021.
“We are going to train later,” Emery said when asked about Konsa. “He did the composition work with the players. I will test him and in case he is feeling good he will be in the squad.”