ASTON Villa have seen preparations for tomorrow's clash with Saints hampered with all three of their senior goalkeepers missing training today.

Robin Olsen (knee) and Jed Steer (Achilles) were both absent due to injury, while first choice Emiliano Martinez was unavailable due to illness.

Asked how much of a concern it was for all three of his keepers to miss the session, boss Steven Gerrard said: “I expect us to be okay.

"Emi has had a little bit of an illness. He hasn’t been feeling too good overnight. I don’t think it’s a big issue.

"We’ve had him in front of the doctor and given him some medicine to hopefully make him feel better in the coming hours.

“I’ve got no doubt that he’ll pull through and I think he’ll be available.

“Robin has been nursing a knee injury which he picked up in training. I think he’s at a stage where he should have done enough to be okay.

“We will make late calls on those but I expect them both to make themselves available.”

On Steer, Gerrard added: “He’s stepped up his rehab but because he’s had the same injury on a couple of occasions, we don’t want to rush it."

Should neither Olsen nor Martinez be available, it could open the door for 19-year-old Filip Marschall to feature in the matchday squad.

He spent last season on loan at Gateshead.

“I’m sure he’s champing at the bit and bet he’s thinking, 'oh, I might get to be on the bench, here!'", said Gerrard.

“He’s done really well, really good and we’ve told him to be ready. He’s prepared to be ready.

"He’s been travelling with us for some time now and I’d have no doubts should he be put in that situation.

“You never know if they’re good enough until they’re tossed in. We’ll see but I do think both players (Olsen and Martinez) will be available.”

Villa could also be without key forward Ollie Watkins, who suffered with illness earlier in the week.

Matty Cash will miss the game due to a hamstring injury, while Jan Bednarek is ineligible to face his parent club.

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