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Aston Villa’s players on international duty have given Unai Emery one good night and one worry so far. Nicolas Jackson and Ibrahim Mbaye both scored as Senegal beat Sudan 4-1 on Thursday, but Johan Manzambi has been sent home by Switzerland with a calf injury, and that is the one to watch before Sunderland visit Villa Park on 21 November.
| Player | Country | Match | Minutes | Contribution | Fitness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicolas Jackson | Senegal | 4-1 v Sudan (AFCON qualifier, 12 Nov) | 85 (off in the 86th) | Goal, 31st minute | No issue reported |
| Ibrahim Mbaye | Senegal | 4-1 v Sudan | 74 (off in the 75th) | Goal | No issue reported |
| Johan Manzambi | Switzerland | Withdrawn before Slovenia and Scotland | 0 | None | Calf injury, back at Villa on Friday |
| John McGinn | Scotland | v North Macedonia (13 Nov), v Switzerland (16 Nov) | Yet to play | – | Called up |
| Ian Maatsen | Netherlands | v Greece (13 Nov), v Germany (16 Nov) | Yet to play | – | Called up |
Minutes for Senegal are read from the substitutions in VAVEL’s match report, which has Jackson replaced by Paul Mendy in the 86th minute and Mbaye replaced in the 75th.
Jackson’s goal in Dakar came in the 31st minute, and he was quickest to react after Sudan’s goalkeeper had saved a shot, according to Africa Soccer. Sudan levelled on the stroke of half-time through Mohamed Abuaagla. Boulaye Dia headed Senegal back in front in the 61st minute from an El Hadji Malick Diouf cross, and Mbaye broke clear of the keeper to make it 3-1 within three minutes. Pathé Mboup added a fourth in the 86th.
The result keeps Senegal top of their qualifying group on seven points from three matches, Villa’s own report says. Jackson played 85 minutes and scored, and that is a decent night: a striker who needed a goal got one in a game with nothing hanging on it. They go again in Sudan on Monday 16 November at 1pm UK time, so both are in for another long trip.
The Swiss FA said the midfielder “arrived at the national team camp on Monday already suffering from a calf complaint” and that despite “intensive medical care and further assessment” he could not play in either match, Sports Mole reports. That matters because Villa had been watching a different problem: he appeared to pick up an ankle knock from a heavy challenge by Leny Yoro against Manchester United last weekend, so the calf is a second issue, not the first.
Sports Mole also counts 889 minutes across 14 club and country appearances since his Villa debut on 12 September, and says he has not yet completed 90 minutes in a Villa shirt. A week off the grass isn’t the worst thing for a 21-year-old with that load. The calf is what Emery will want explained. Official Fantasy Premier League data gives Manzambi a 75% chance of playing against Sunderland.
Every other Villa call-up on the senior side is yet to kick a ball, per the club’s international diary. All kick-offs below are UK time.
Three Villa youngsters also featured for England Under-20s in a 6-1 win over Czechia on Thursday: George Hemmings started, Brian Madjo and Ben Broggio came off the bench, and Broggio, who is on loan at Stevenage, scored in injury time.
Villa’s first game back is Sunderland at Villa Park on Saturday 21 November at 3pm, after the 4-4 draw at Manchester United on 8 November. Manzambi is the only fresh doubt from the break so far. With Wan-Bissaka (hamstring, 50%) and Onana (knee, 0%) already on the FPL list, Emery will want everyone else back in one piece.
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