Latest News
Bailey still out - Winger set to return to training in two weeks
February 08, 2022
Jamaican winger Leon Bailey could return to training in two weeks, according to Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard.
The club had targeted February 9, against Leeds, as a possible return date for the player but according to the birminghammail.co.uk website Gerrard said Bailey, who has been out of action for two months and has only played three games under his reign, will not be back in training until later this month.
"We hope to have him back in the group in the next two weeks," Gerrard said.
The former Liverpool captain has hardly had the chance to work with the Jamaica international and is particularly keen to see what the 24-year-old can offer him.
However, while Bailey has been out, Villa have been doing very well under Gerrard, winning five of the 10 Premier League matches he's been in charge of.
Players like Brazilian Philippe Coutinho, who has joined on loan from Barcelona for the rest of the season, and Emiliano Buendia who is starting to rediscover his form, have been doing well and reclaiming his spot in the team may not be so straightforward for Bailey.
However, it is believed that the Jamaican's skill and trickery on the wings will certainly offer Gerrard an exciting alternative for his preferred 4-3-3 system, which is perfect for Bailey to demonstrate his wide skills.
It has been a frustrating start for the forward since his PS25m move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
He made his debut off the bench on the opening day of the league in a defeat to Watford, but suffered an injury that kept him out for the next two matches.
On his return he came off of the bench against Chelsea and Everton, scoring against the latter.
He had another brief spell on the sidelines before he had a run of six games before suffering the thigh injury, in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, which has kept him out for two months.
Villa are currently 11th in the English Premier League standings with 26 points. They are 10 points off of the top six and 11 above the relegation zone.
Their upcoming matches could make a major impact on how the remainder of their campaign plays out, and Bailey could play an important role in the latter part of the season.
