GIVEN OUT FOR A MONTH

Aston Villa’s goalkeeper Shay Given has been ruled out for up to a month after injuring his hamstring in the match against Manchester United. Aston Villa lost the match 1-0, but Alex McLeish will be more worried about the number of players on the injury list. Aston Villa’s loan midfielder Jermaine Jenas has also been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury from the same match, while Shay Given has also suffered the hamstring injury that is set to keep him out at least for the Christmas fixture list.

Aston Villa have been very disappointing since the appointment of Alex McLeish. The fact that Alex McLeish plays a negative brand of football certainly does not help either. Now, the huge injury list means that the pressure will be on Alex McLeish to deliver because that fans are unlikely to give any sympathy for the manager. Following the injury, Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish said that USA international Brad Guzan is set to become the goalkeeper over the next few weeks. Shay Given is regarded as one of the best keepers in the Premier League and Alex McLeish is certainly disappointed to lose him for up to a month.

Aston Villa will be facing the likes of Chelsea during the Christmas fixture list. “It is disappointing to lose Shay in such circumstances but, unfortunately, these things happen in football. We have to meet these challenges and we will. We have total faith in Brad who, as I said after the game against Manchester United on Saturday, can be proud of the way he stepped in when Shay had to come off,” Villa boss Alex McCleish told Aston Villa’s official website. Jermaine Jenas has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.