Unai Emery will be hoping Aston Villa can find some light against Juventus in the Champions League amid their poor form in the Premier League.
It has been a difficult period for Aston Villa, drawing at home to Crystal Palace at the weekend, after losing four in a row and now going winless in six.
The forward line has lost its ruthless nature and they aren’t putting away big chances, but the defence isn’t helping matters either.
Aston Villa have conceded 19 Premier League goals this term and there aren’t any signs that the defence can keep clean sheets in the league.
But things are far better in the Champions League, with three wins from four and the possibility of a top-eight finish.
Villa host Juventus on Wednesday night and it’s a chance for many players to prove their worth, stay in the team and ensure this recent run is only a blip.
One man who will be proving to shut up his critics is right-back, Matty Cash.
Aston Villa’s Matty Cash set to play first Champions League game v Juventus
Of the four Champions League games Villa have played, for two of them, Cash has been injured, and for the other two, he was an unused substitute.
But now he will be hoping to make his Champions League bow after coming on at half-time during the draw against Palace.
Ezri Konsa is back in action, so there is a chance he could start at right-back, but with Villa conceding again at the weekend, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if Diego Carlos is dropped.
Cash has a lot of critics at Villa and he is seen as a weak link at the back. It doesn’t help matters that the powers that be wanted to sign another right-back in the summer.
If, as expected, he does start, then this is his chance to prove people wrong and push Villa further up the Champions League table.
Cash’s stats for Villa this season
The 27-year-old hasn’t helped himself because he has had two different injury spells on the sidelines and that doesn’t help with rhythm or form.
If he can make sure that is the end of that now, then it won’t just help his cause, but the team also.
WhoScored has rated Cash’s performances at 6.57 this season, which is below average, and now it’s the time to take that beyond seven.
| Tournament | Apps | Mins | Yel | PS% | Tackles | Inter | Clear | Drb | AerialsWon | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 6(1) | 473 | 1 | 89.2 | 1.6 | 1 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 6.57 |
