Emi Martinez expected to return in goal as Aston Villa host West Ham

Posted Friday, October 29, 2021 by PA

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez is expected to play against West Ham after returning from Argentina following a family emergency involving his father.

Martinez flew back to his homeland after Villa’s Premier League defeat at Arsenal to be at his dad’s bedside but he is back in England and trained with the rest of the Villa squad on Friday, having done some training at the national team’s headquarters while in Argentina.

Villa are monitoring the fitness of Leon Bailey as he nears a first Premier League start, while Keinan Davis is fit again. However, Morgan Sanson and Jaden Philogene-Bidace will both miss out through illness.

Declan Rice and Michail Antonio return for West Ham having been rested for the Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out win over Manchester City.

Vladimir Coufal is fit after a groin problem and Alex Kral is also available after a period of self-isolation.

Ryan Fredericks is now the only injury absentee.

Aston Villa provisional squad: Martinez, Steer, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Mings, Hause, Tuanzebe, Young, Luiz, Nakamba, Chukwuemeka, El Ghazi, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins, Ings, Bailey, Traore, Archer, Davis.

West Ham provisional squad: Fabianksi, Johnson, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma, Areola, Coufal, Diop, Dawson, Masuaku, Kral, Noble, Lanzini, Vlasic, Chesters, Yarmolenko.