Aston Villa without midfielder Jota for Brighton game

Posted Friday, October 18, 2019 by PA

Aston Villa midfielder Jota will be absent for the visit of Brighton this weekend after undergoing a hernia surgery that is set to sideline the Spaniard for the next couple of weeks.

Villa welcome back Ivory Coast forward Jonathan Kodjia following a fractured cheekbone while Bjorn Engels is also available after collecting an injury in the 5-1 win at Norwich before the international break.

Fellow centre-half James Chester has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring complaint but the Villa Park fixture is set to come too soon for the Wales international.

Brighton will have Leandro Trossard and Shane Duffy available after injury.

Belgian winger Trossard, who has not featured since late August because of a groin problem, has returned to training, while centre-back Duffy managed two games for the Republic of Ireland during the international break having previously been sidelined by a calf issue.

Defender Bernardo (knock) and winger Jose Izquierdo (knee) remain unavailable to Albion boss Graham Potter.

Aston Villa provisional squad: Heaton, Guilbert, Engels, Mings, Taylor, Nakamba, Targett, McGinn, Grealish, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Wesley, Hourihane, Kodjia, Elmohamady, Steer, Konsa, Davis, Lansbury.

Brighton provisional squad: Ryan, Montoya, Dunk, Webster, Burn, Alzate, Mooy, Stephens, Gross, Maupay, Connolly, Button, Bong, Balogun, Duffy, Propper, Bissouma, March, Jahanbakhsh, Trossard, Murray.