Aston Villa predicted line-up vs. Brighton: big calls made with Manzambi, Gomes & Abraham among injury worries

Aston Villa start the new Premier League season under a cloud. Not only have they lost several key players during the summer transfer window, with Ezri Konsa the latest to leave, but their preparations for the opening match of the campaign have been derailed by a string of injuries.

Tammy Abraham, João Gomes and club record signing Johan Manzambi are among the players who could miss Sunday’s curtain-raiser against Brighton & Hove Albion, and in total there are seven players who are either out or doubts for the match at the Amex Stadium.

With kick-off fast approaching, we’ve collected all of the latest Aston Villa team news and injury updates for the game against Brighton and provided our prediction for Unai Emery’s starting line-up.

Abraham & Madjo injuries give Aston Villa attacking headache

Perhaps the biggest single issue facing Emery ahead of Sunday’s match is the situation up front – there is a chance that Villa go into the game against Brighton without a fully fit striker.

Youngster Brian Madjo, who scored against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup and created a wave of excitement with his pre-season performances, suffered an ankle injury during training and will be out until September, according to The Athletic, while Tammy Abraham sustained a knock during the Villa’s final pre-season game against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The extent of Abraham’s injury is currently unknown, but he limped down the tunnel after slipping awkwardly on the turf and was in visible discomfort. If he is ruled out of the game against Brighton, it would leave Ollie Watkins as the sole striker in the squad – and he has not played in pre-season following his run with England at the World Cup.

Further complicating matters is the fact that Watkins’ future remains in doubt amid interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Villa have rebuffed their initial approaches but if transfer talks advance, then they may be compelled to sit Watkins out. It is likely that Emery picks one of Abraham or Watkins to start against Brighton, but it’s impossible to say who will get the nod at the time of writing.

Gomes & Manzambi among midfield injuries for Brighton match

Aston Villa’s midfield has also been ravaged by injuries in the build-up to the Brighton match, with summer signing João Gomes the latest player to be ruled out after he sustained a calf injury which is expected to sideline him for up to three weeks.

Fellow new arrival Johan Manzambi will also miss out due to a knee injury which he sustained during Switzerland’s World Cup run. The 20-year-old has not featured at all during pre-season, and his return date remains unknown. Another World Cup injury victim was Amadou Onana – the Belgian suffered a ruptured ACL over the summer and is expected to miss most or all of the 2026/27 season.

Other doubts for the Brighton match include Alejandro Garnacho, who suffered a concussion during pre-season and has yet to return to action, and Leon Bailey, who has been working through a minor muscular injury while negotiating a transfer away from Villa Park.

It’s also unclear who will start in goal. Emiliano Martínez is expected to leave the club in the coming days and has played no part in pre-season, while replacement Zion Suzuki has only been at the club since Wednesday. Marco Bizot could get the nod while Suzuki gets acclimatised. New signing Matteo Ruggeri is likely to start on the bench.

Aston Villa predicted XI vs. Brighton (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Maatsen, Torres, Mings, Cash; Kamara, Lindelöf; McGinn, Buendía, Hemmings; Watkins/Abraham.