Aston Villa left-back's ankle injury latest with damage and timescale confirmed

Villa left-back Ian Maatsen is set to miss up to two months with the ankle injury suffered against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Maatsen left the field in controversial circumstances in the late Villa Park defeat to Forest, having felt the force of a challenge from James McAtee.

The Dutchman underwent testing on Saturday evening and and scans have confirmed no fracture, but damage to the tendon of the right ankle.

Boss Unai Emery, who had already used all five substitutes, was left fuming that McAtee was only booked and not dismissed by referee Andy Madley.

Emery feared a long-term absence for Maatsen, who could be sidelined until November.

Summer signing Matteo Ruggeri is likely to be handed an extended run in the side as the only natural senior left-back.

Spanish central defender Pau Torres departed the field early at Villa Park on Saturday due to a first-half hamstring injury.

Torres is likely to be sidelined for a few weeks with the muscle blow.

His absence could open the door to deadline day signing Taylor Harwood-Bellis in Emery’s Champions League squad.

Harwood-Bellis, the £29million signing from Southampton, was omitted from Villa’s 23-man squad confirmed this month for Europe’s premier competition.