Aston Villa could well be without Ollie Watkins for this evening’s clash with Southampton due to illness.
The Lowdown: Goalkeeper worries
Steven Gerrard’s side return to action this evening at Villa Park, however, he could be forced into several changes from the draw with Manchester City last time out.
Matty Cash is set to be ruled out with a hamstring issue, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent home from training on Thursday due to illness.
Number two Robin Olsen has a knee problem and Jed Steer is also out, which could leave Gerrard with a major selection headache in goal, although it is expected Martinez will recover and feature.
The Latest: Watkins worry
Taking to Twitter on Thursday afternoon, Ashley Preece relayed news from Gerrard’s pre-match press conference.
He said that ‘Watkins has also been ill’ alongside Martinez, so it looks as if he could be touch and go for tonight.
The Verdict: Not ideal
Watkins is yet to miss a match this season and has been Gerrard’s go-to striker in 4-3-3 and 4-3-1-2 systems. Therefore, being without the England international would be a blow in a game that many would argue is must win following a poor start to the season.
Watkins’ potential absence would leave Gerrard with Danny Ings and youngster Cameron Archer as options, potentially limiting Gerrard to a 4-3-3 formation.