“Unai Emery hoped for a clean bill of health as his Aston Villa players returned from international duty to Bodymoor Heath.”
Douglas Luiz is set to encounter Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa on the field as Brazil prepares to clash with England at Wembley this Saturday. Similarly, Youri Tielemans will also be making his way to the iconic venue, as Belgium is scheduled to take on Gareth Southgate’s side next week.
Matty Cash speaks out following injury setback while on international duty with Poland.
Posting on his personal X account on Friday, March 22, Cash expressed, “A fantastic evening in Warsaw turned sour for me! Wishing everyone the best of luck in the final! Let’s go Polska! Just one more to go.”
Cash’s statement suggests that he has excluded himself from Poland’s European Championship showdown against Wales, adding to Emery’s woes.
What will be Aston Villa’s strategy in the absence of Matty Cash?
Fortunately, the Aston Villa manager has utilized various defensive options throughout the season. Konsa was deployed on the right side of a four-man defense against West Ham United and is adept at playing in that role. He has featured in 26 Premier League matches, surpassing Cash’s 21 appearances, indicating Emery’s preference.
Nevertheless, Cash’s injury deals a blow to Villa’s depth in defense. If another defender were to sustain an injury, it would pose a challenge for the manager to find suitable replacements.
Cash entered the match at halftime against West Ham and made a crucial block to prevent the opponents from scoring a second goal. If his injury sidelines him for an extended period, it comes at an unfavorable time for the team.