Aston Villa have received some welcome news regarding Ian Maatsen after scans showed that the defender’s ankle injury is less serious than initially feared.
Maatsen was forced off during Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Villa Park after a challenge from James McAtee. The Forest midfielder was shown a yellow card for the tackle, while Unai Emery believed the incident should have resulted in a red.
Following the match, Emery was clearly concerned about the extent of Maatsen’s injury and suggested that the Dutchman could potentially be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
However, according to a report from The Athletic cited by the source, Saturday evening’s scans on Maatsen’s right ankle did not show a fracture.
There is tendon damage, but the expectation is that the 24-year-old could return in around six to eight weeks, rather than facing a season-defining absence.
That recovery period could also benefit from the upcoming international break, which is expected to account for around three weeks of the rehabilitation window following Villa’s trip to Tottenham.
Emery feared a much longer absence
Emery’s initial assessment came immediately after an extremely frustrating afternoon for Aston Villa.
The manager had already watched his side lose at home to Forest, with Igor Jesus scoring an 88th-minute winner. Maatsen’s injury made the situation even more difficult because Villa had already used all five substitutions.
Speaking after the match, Emery feared the ankle problem could keep Maatsen out for a considerable period.
The subsequent scan results, however, have provided a much more positive picture.
Villa will still have to manage the defender carefully during his recovery, but the absence of a fracture means the situation is not as serious as Emery initially feared.
McAtee tackle remains a talking point
Maatsen’s injury also reignited the debate surrounding McAtee’s challenge.
Emery said after watching the incident again on television that he believed the VAR referee should have intervened and called the referee over.
For the Villa boss, the fact that the challenge came from behind made it worthy of a red card.
The Forest player ultimately received only a booking.
The incident came with the score level at 1-1 and Maatsen subsequently had to leave the pitch. Villa were unable to make another substitution, leaving them with ten men for the closing stages.
Although the injury undoubtedly affected the match, Emery also accepted responsibility for his team’s performance and did not use the incident as an excuse for the defeat.
Ruggeri given an opportunity
With Maatsen expected to miss a number of weeks, Matteo Ruggeri now has an opportunity to establish himself at left-back.
His involvement could give Emery another option in a position where Villa will need greater defensive consistency.
The club also have another defensive concern, with Pau Torres suffering what is described as a hamstring issue during the first half against Forest.
Torres is expected to return immediately after the international break, according to the information in the source.
With two defensive players picking up injuries in the same match, new centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis could also benefit from the situation.
The Carabao Cup meeting with Coventry City this week could provide Emery with an opportunity to finally include the new signing in a matchday squad.
The Aston Villa News BR verdict
The latest update on Maatsen is a significant relief for Aston Villa. A six-to-eight-week absence would still be a setback, particularly during a difficult start to the season, but it is considerably better than the worst-case scenario suggested immediately after the Forest defeat.
The international break could also prove valuable in reducing the number of competitive matches Maatsen misses.
For Emery, the immediate challenge will be finding the right solution at left-back while Maatsen recovers. Ruggeri now has a genuine opportunity to establish himself, while the situation could also accelerate Harwood-Bellis’ involvement in the first-team squad.
After such a difficult afternoon against Forest, the injury news at least gives Villa something positive to take from the weekend.
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