Aston Villa suffer major Ian Maatsen injury blow as return timeline emerges

Aston Villa defender Ian Maatsen is reportedly facing six to eight weeks on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury during the 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

The Dutch left-back was forced off following a heavy challenge from Forest midfielder James McAtee, leaving Unai Emery concerned about the severity of the problem.

Those concerns have now been partly confirmed, although scans have at least shown Maatsen avoided a fracture.

According to The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Maatsen has suffered tendon damage to his ankle and is expected to miss approximately six to eight weeks.

That timeframe could keep the defender unavailable until November and represents another significant setback for a Villa side already enduring a difficult start to the Premier League season.

Emery had initially feared Maatsen could be sidelined for a “long, long time” after seeing the injury.

The absence of a fracture is therefore positive news, but the tendon damage still means Villa will be without an important defensive option for a substantial period.

Maatsen’s departure against Nottingham Forest created an immediate selection problem.

Villa had already used all five substitutions when he was injured, forcing John McGinn to fill in at left-back during the closing stages.

Emery must now determine how to replace Maatsen over the coming weeks while dealing with other injury concerns in his squad.

The timing is particularly difficult given Villa’s poor Premier League start.

Igor Jesus scored Nottingham Forest’s late winner to condemn Aston Villa to another defeat and leave Emery’s team still searching for their first Premier League victory of the season.

Villa sit 19th with only one point, adding further importance to their upcoming fixtures.

Losing Maatsen for up to two months only increases the pressure on Emery to find solutions and turn Villa’s season around.

Villa will have to find an alternative at left-back while Maatsen begins his rehabilitation. A six-to-eight-week recovery would potentially put his return around late October or November, depending on how quickly the damaged tendon heals.