Sherwood to assess Given injury ahead of FA Cup final

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood has confirmed Brad Guzan will play in the FA Cup final if first-choice goalkeeper Shay Given fails to recover from a groin injury.

Sherwood gave a Premier League debut to Jed Steer in his side’s 1-0 home Premier League defeat to Burnley on Sunday, but it will be Guzan who plays against Arsenal at Wembley next weekend unless Given can prove his fitness.

“Shay’s a doubt,” said Sherwood. “We’re assessing him every day, I wouldn’t have played him [against Burnley] anyway.

“With the injury to Shay it was an opportunity to look at Jed. You don’t often get the chance to look at a young goalie and you can only really assess them on the stage and I thought Jed did all right.”

Looking ahead to the Arsenal game next Saturday, Sherwood said: “You wouldn’t want to throw Jed in. He’s not had much experience in a cup final. If Shay wasn’t going to make it and Brad was to get injured we’d have a problem.

“We’re not ruling Shay out yet.”