Aston Villa star suffers gruesome head injury after nasty clash with his own teammate

Lucas Digne suffered a nasty-looking head injury during Aston Villa's clash against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The 32-year-old defender was left with a large bruise on his forehead after he appeared to collide with Emiliano Martinez.

Digne threw himself at a loose ball in the penalty area during a goalmouth scramble. As the France international moved to deny the Toffees from going in front, he fell over Villa's goalkeeper, who was back between the sticks after a proposed transfer to Manchester United failed to materialise in the summer.

The duo collided with one another, and medics rushed on to the pitch to treat Digne; he was then taken off as part of the Premier League's head injury procedures for further care. Television cameras showed the bruise just above his right eye, with the game resuming shortly after.

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Digne finished the game as Everton held Aston Villa to a goalless draw. Unai Emery's side are still yet to win their first game of the season, having now drawn two and lost two.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the game in Merseyside, the Spaniard claimed he was pleased with the structure of his squad. Aston Villa signed Harvey Elliott, Jadon Sancho and Victor Lindelöf at the end of the summer transfer window.

"The results are the consequences of how you are performing, collectively and individually," said Emery. "Now we are trying to get everything with the idea to try and build a team as soon as possible with the new players.

"For us, with the transfer window finishing, signing three players at the deadline, and the pre-season with some players who prepared with us but left, like [Jacob] Ramsey and Leon Bailey, we have to try to work every day to adapt the new players to our structure.

"We have to try to keep our motivation for how we were performing with the players we have and those who joined. I’m so, so happy with the structure of the squad we have now and how the players were responding who were here last week and this week, working."

On the international break, Emery added: "The players who were with their national teams as well, like Matty Cash scoring goals and playing well, like Morgan [Rogers] and [John] McGinn as well, playing consistently.

"They have objectives with their national team and when they are there it’s very important for us how they are working. Now, every player joined yesterday and we worked yesterday, we were working today and we’re going to work this evening and tomorrow morning.

"I’m excited about how we’re going to respond with the players we have and with the players who joined. I have some players who are versatile and I can use them in different positions.

"I’m really watching the team now with the possibilities and energy we are recovering."

Aston Villa will now quickly turn their attention to Tuesday evening when they lock horns with Brentford in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The Bees will host Emery's side at the G-Tech Community Stadium as they each look to get their hands on some silverware.

Meanwhile, Everton have a week or so to recharge their batteries. Next weekend, the Toffees will take on Liverpool at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in what is expected to be a fiery Merseyside Derby.