Aston Villa may have to cope without Douglas Luiz when they face Brentford this weekend, with Premier League selection issues mounting up
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz will not be available for selection for the trip to Brentford this weekend, as Premier League injuries and suspensions continue to pile up ahead of the festive period.
Luiz received his fifth league booking of the season in last weekend's 1-0 win over Arsenal at Villa Park - bringing a one-match suspension for the Sunday lunchtime fixture.
All players who pick up five yellow cards before the 19th game of the season, the halfway point in the season, are immediately banned for the next game.
When will Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz be available for selection?
Unai Emery will be keen for Douglas Luiz to return to action (Image credit: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Although Luiz will miss out on the capital trip to face the Bees, along with team-mate Lucas Digne who is also serving a ban, he should still feature again before Christmas.
The Brazilian will be back at Unai Emery's disposal the following week, when high-flying Villa host Sheffield United in the Friday Night Football.
Due to his Premier League suspension, Emery included Luiz in the team that drew 1-1 with Zrinjski in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday, with the midfielder completing the 90 minutes unscathed.
This means he should be fully fit and refreshed by the time Sheffield United visit Villa Park next Friday night.
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Luiz's absence against Brentford will give 7.7 per cent of official Fantasy Premier League players a decision to make ahead of this weekend's round of games.
The Aston Villa star has scored 74 points so far this season, the second-highest scorer from his club, second only to Ollie Watkins.
Jack has worked as a sports reporter full-time since 2021. He previously worked as the Chief Women’s Football Writer at the Mirror, covering the England Women’s national team and the Women’s Super League. Jack has covered a number of major sporting events in recent years including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on the ground in Australia.
