Aston Villa suffer blow as Jacob Ramsey is ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot problem… but Unai Emery’s side could be boosted by the return of Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins against Brentford

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a foot injury. 

Ramsey has been out of action for over a month with a toe problem and won’t be able to feature in Villa’s remaining games as they challenge for a place in the top four and also go for glory in the Europa Conference League.

Villa boss Unai Emery said: ‘Jacob Ramsey has again some problems with his toe. He is not going to be available for the rest of the season.’ 

Ramsey has made 21 appearances for Villa this season, 16 of which have come in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old suffered a broken metatarsal while playing for England at the Under-21 European Championship last year, with a foot injury also affecting him in October. 

Villa manager Unai Emery will not be able to call upon Ramsey because of a foot injury

On a more positive note, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez are set to return for Aston Villa against Brentford on Saturday.

Watkins missed Wednesday night’s 4-1 loss at Manchester City with a hamstring injury he sustained against Wolves last weekend, while Martinez was named in the starting XI at the Etihad Stadium but had to withdraw due to illness.

Emery says that both men will be back against the Bees, providing they got through Friday’s session.

‘Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins could be (available) tomorrow,’ the Spaniard said. ‘We will prepare for the match in the final 24 hours and tomorrow we will know if they’re available and ready to play.

‘Emi and Ollie are included in the squad for tomorrow.’

However, Jacob Ramsey will miss the rest of the season with a troublesome toe problem.

‘Jacob Ramsey is again with some problems in his toe, he is not going to be available for the rest of the season,’ Emery added.

Villa’s fine Premier League form has stuttered in recent weeks as they try and qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

Villa could be boosted by the return of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez against Brentford

Ollie Watkins could also be back available as Villa host his former club on Saturday

Emery added: ‘We are doing the plan we prepared when I arrived here. It was to be demanding in our way, starting from the owners and then to the coaches, the players and the supporters.

‘To include us in the teams that are now contenders to be in the top-seven positions in the table is very difficult. We can achieve it like we are doing now, but to be consistent for a long time is the difficulty.

‘That is my objective. We are trying to be a contender more than we were before, firstly for the top 10 and secondly like we are now.

‘With the teams we are facing, some teams are stronger than us because they have more power to be there. We have to be intelligent, we have to be demanding and work better than the others.

‘This is the only way I know. I am very focused on trying to do it.’