Due to suspension, French international Boubacar Kamara will not play for Aston Villa against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Thirteen games into the season, the 23-year-old has been a constant for Unai Emery in the Premier League, and he was crucial to our 2-1 victory over Tottenham this past weekend.
In addition, he has only missed one match this season across all competitions; however, he will now be forced to miss his second after receiving his fifth yellow card on Sunday against Spurs.
After stopping Giovani Lo Celso from advancing on a counterattack in the first half of the match in North London, Kamara was given a caution. As a result of his fifth booking, he will miss one match the following weekend when Villa plays Bournemouth.
Emery will have a difficult time making a decision because Kamara and Douglas Luiz form a vital partnership in the centre of the Villa XI. His absence will be felt.
Who will be deemed the best choice to cover that gap for a game will depend on how well-balanced the pair’s technical skills and defensive prowess are.
With players like Youri Tielemans, Leon Bailey, Nicolo Zaniolo, and Jacob Ramsey available to play out wide on either flank, Emery might move John McGinn into a more central role alongside Luiz. Alternatively, he might make a straight substitution, bringing in Leander Dendoncker to provide physicality and a defensive presence in front of the backline.
With the competition and depth available to him, it will be interesting to see what the Villa manager chooses. Tim Iroegbunam was back on the bench against Spurs this past weekend, so the gifted young player could be another option that comes into play.
Given that Luiz, Matty Cash, and Lucas Digne are all just one booking away from serving their own suspensions, it will be important to keep an eye on that in the upcoming weeks as some major matchups against the best teams draw near.
