Dean Smith Aston Villa
Aston Villa are back in action when they play West Ham United at Villa Park on Sunday (4.30pm). Villa will have had an extended break from Premier League action having played Arsenal on Friday night, Mikel Arteta’s side running out 3-1 winners. Positives from the trip to the Emirates Stadium was the return to action of Leon Bailey from a groin injury, the Jamaican improving Villa when he came on in the second half. Davis has been out since the summer while Trezeguet is still recovering from a serious knee injury sustained in April, although he has offered an update by posting a highlights montage to social media platform Instagram with the message ‘soon’.
Bertrand Traore
Injury: Thigh.
Target return date: West Ham, October 31.
What we know: Traore flew out to Burkina Faso for his side’s two World Cup qualifiers against Djibouti but he didn’t play in the first game because of guidance around isolating. He missed the second because of a thigh injury.
Dean Smith said: “The likes of Leon and Bertrand have come back from four or five weeks out, so we’ll build up their fitness.”
Trezeguet
Injury: Knee.
Target return date: N/A.
What we know: Villa are expecting Trezeguet back at some point this season after he underwent surgery on a serious knee injury in April.
Dean Smith said: “He’s had a significant knee injury which is normally nine months. We never like to put a time frame on injuries, but that’s the average time to come back. Some come back earlier, some come back later.”
