Aston Villa have been hit by a Lucas Digne injury blow.

Digne has suffered an ankle injury that is likely to keep him sidelined for several weeks.

The left-back, who had been called into the France squad, has a suspected stress fracture which has ruled him out of the forthcoming Nations League fixtures against Austria and Denmark.

Yet the injury is also likely to have an impact on Villa, who are already without centre-back Diego Carlos, right-back Matty Cash and holding midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

Villa have taken four points from their last two matches – a draw with Manchester City and the victory against Saints – after a difficult start to the campaign that had produced four defeats from the opening five matches.