Stiliyan Petrov picks up knee injury
Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov faces two months out of the game after picking up a knee injury.
The Bulgarian international was forced from the field during the defeat at Sunderland over the weekend. Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier confirmed at a club open day that it will be at least eight weeks
before the midfielder can play again.
"We have lost Stiliyan Petrov for maybe at least two months.
We will know whether he needs an operation by the middle of the week.
It's a shame because he was getting back to a good level," he said.
The news will be a big blow because as captain Petrov is a very important part of the way Aston Villa plays. There are a number of players who can fill in while Petrov
recovers.
An important player
Petrov is one of the most versatile players in the football club. This allows him to play many different roles over the course of a game. Petrov can be effective as a creative
midfield player and he can track back to the aid of the defence.
His leadership skills as captain are very productive. He is vocal and loud on the pitch. This keeps his teammates on edge during big games and ensures that the team stays
organised. This is something that Aston Villa will miss more than anything else.
The pressure now falls onto other players to make sure the club doesn't suffer in Petrov's absence. Steve Sidwell, Stephen Ireland and Nigel Reo-Coker are the most likely
players to fill in.
These players need to raise their games to try and have a similar impact to Petrov. Reo-Coker is the vice-captain of the club and has played alongside Petrov in games this
season, which means he will be the player asked to take over the captaincy role.
Betting advice
Aston Villa currently sits tenth in the table. There is no doubt that Petrov would aid a push for the top six. Be a little wary of backing the side for outright wins while
Petrov is not in the team.
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