Aston Villa goalkeeper Matija Sarkic is in line to make his debut for the club if Jed Steer and Lovre Kalinic fail fitness tests ahead of the clash versus Norwich City, according to the Birmingham Mail.
The news outlet claim that Steer is being assessed after picking up an injury during the 1-1 draw with Leeds United, while Kalinic has been missing for the last five weeks with a problem of his own.
It is stated that if the duo fail to be passed fit then the starting role will fall to 6’3″ (source: Transfermarkt) shot stopper Sarkic, who is yet to play a first team game for the Villans.
Opinion
The last thing that Villa need ahead of their playoff campaign is injuries, especially in a position where they have already suffered an awful lot this season. Orjan Nyland was ruled out for the season at the start of 2019 while Kalinic has been suffering too, leaving Steer and Sarkic as Dean Smith’s only options. A rookie goalkeeper in a playoff semi-final, or even the final, is a recipe for disaster and you can imagine the opposition will be doing everything they can to get the better of the youngster. Steer’s injury did not seem like a serious one but will still be a worry for the Villa Park faithful, who will be hoping to see their side go one better than last year and secure promotion back to the Premier League. Only time will tell who is lining up between the sticks, but if it is going to be Sarkic, a clash against Norwich is a baptism of fire.