Aston Villa handed 'huge blow' as Steven Gerrard given Lucas Digne injury verdict

Former Premier League forward Noel Whelan says Lucas Digne’s potential injury lay-off will be a “huge blow” for Aston Villa.

The French full-back was replaced on the 10th minute during the 2-1 defeat to West Ham at the weekend, as he came off the pitch for Ashley Young.

Digne was seen clutching his hamstring before being substituted and is unlikely to be fit for Arsenal's visit to Villa Park this Saturday.

Villa manager Steven Gerrard commented on the injury after the game, saying: "He [Digne] says it is a small muscle injury. We will analyse it with an MRI scan. I am positive in what Lucas has said to me, but he is obviously a major doubt for the Arsenal game."

Digne took to his Instagram account to provide an update of his own for Villa fans, posting a picture of his injured leg elevated in what looked like a compression sleeve with the caption: "My best friend for the next days."

And Whelan claims Villa will sorely miss their first choice left-back, who joined the club from Everton for £25million in January.

“When you bring in new players, you want them to be part of the team week-in, week-out,” he told Football Insider.

“There’s no other way to help them find their feet at a new club. They’ve got to get that understanding with the players around them, and you want them to feel a real part of the team.

“He’s not really had the chance to build those types of relationships on the pitch because of the stop-start first couple of months he’s had.

“It’s a huge blow for Aston Villa because he’s a quality player. Set-pieces, experience, talent – they’re going to miss all of that, especially going into a big game against Arsenal.

“They could really do with him fit against someone like Saka – who is in incredible form.”