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Extent of Bailey injury concern still unknown

Published:Wednesday | April 12, 2023 | 1:30 AM
Jamaica’s Leon Bailey celebrates scoringthe opening goal of a Concacaf Nations League encounter against Mexico inside the National Stadium last year.
Jamaica’s Leon Bailey celebrates scoringthe opening goal of a Concacaf Nations League encounter against Mexico inside the National Stadium last year.

CMC:

REGGAE BOYZ winger Leon Bailey was substituted on the 28th minutewith a hamstring injury during a 2-0 home win for Premier League club Aston Villa against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and his return to action remains unknown.

Bailey made an explosive run to get around his full-back and create a chance for Ollie Watkins, but it proved to be his final action of the game.

“Hopefully, it’s not a big injury,” head coach Unai Emery said.

Villa have climbed to sixth in the table, and Bailey has scored six goals for them this season, but his previous strike was in a 2-1 win over Leeds United three months ago.

In other news surrounding Jamaicans plying their trade overseas, striker Jamille Matt said he hoped thathis first goal for English League 2 club Walsall will spark a run of form for them until the end of the season.

Matt, 33, finally got off the mark for the Saddlers in a 4-2 defeat on Good Friday at Rochdale after a stop-start year since joining the fourth-tier outfit from League 1 basement club Forest Green Rover on an 18-month contract in January.

Matt, who scored twice earlier in the season for Forest Green Rovers, suffered a shoulder injury in the match against Newport County and only returned to the squad for the draw against Sutton United recently.

Mid-table Walsall, who have five matches remaining, are away to 16th-placed Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.