Aston Villa returned to winning ways at Villa Park on Saturday as Unai Emery’s side beat Nottingham Forest 4-2 to go five points clear in fourth in the Premier League.
Aston Villa restored the winning feeling to Villa Park on Saturday with a dominating 4-2 victory over Nottingham Forest.
The win saw Unai Emery’s side go five points ahead of Spurs in the race for 4th place and a further eight points clear of Manchester United in 6th.
Things are looking good for the Villans in terms of their hopes to finish in the top six to secure another European finish, with the return of one player in particular from injury proving to be a significant boost to the squad.
The impact of Pau Torres at Aston Villa
Against Fulham last weekend, Aston Villa welcomed Pau Torres back into the squad for the first time in 2024 after his recovery from injury.
The Spaniard’s presence at the back had been missed, particularly through his progressive strengths which were restored to the back line at Craven Cottage.
Lauded as being an “absolutely transformational” asset by journalist John Townley, the centre-back was heavily praised for his performance against Fulham ahead of the Nottingham Forest clash.
Similar could be said of Pau’s performance against Forest, where he provided three clearances and won 100% of his aerial duels before being forced to withdraw at halftime due to some pain.
What John McGinn said about Pau Torres
There will be a great hope that the defender’s withdrawal was more of a precaution than another injury, with his influence on the current side irreplaceable.
To explain how beneficial the Spain international’s return has been for Emery’s side, captain John McGinn praised his teammate ahead of the Forest clash, as relayed by journalist Jacob Tanswell.
“When he was injured, he was growing a mullet. He got that trimmed, came back and he’s like a new signing. Different class.”
“It’s not until you watch the game back you realise the impact he has on other players. He’s one step ahead in the brain.”
Pau’s ability to step out of defence to encourage an attack is what makes him such a valuable part of Emery’s squad, as seen last week through his involvement in Ollie Watkins’ goal.
Many will agree with the views of McGinn, who also received high praise after Villa’s win over Forest yesterday.
The primary hope now is that the 27-year-old will be fit and ready to play against Luton Town and then in the blockbuster Europa Conference League tie against Ajax.
