Aston Villa could receive a timely injury boost as Matty Cash is said to be in contention to return from his setback against Nottingham Forest on Monday night.
Cash, 25, has been sidelined since September 3 after he was forced to limp off in our draw with Manchester City with a hamstring injury.
He has since missed the win over Southampton and draw with Leeds Utd, but he could be edging closer to a comeback against his former club at the City Ground next week.
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As reported by the Express and Star, Cash is back in full training this week and so should he come through those sessions unscathed and shows a good level of fitness, he’ll be pushing to get straight back into the team.
Time will tell if Villa boss Steven Gerrard will restore him to the starting XI immediately or will look to gradually integrate him back in off the bench, with his fitness level likely to dictate how much of a risk that might be, but given the qualities that Cash brings to the side, his return in any capacity will be an important boost.
It comes at a crucial time too as with Ludwig Augustinsson picking up a hamstring problem of his own at Leeds last weekend and with Lucas Digne currently sidelined too, we’re short of options in the full-back roles with Ashley Young forced to shift over to the left side having initially played at right-back in Cash’s absence.
Ezri Konsa filled in at Elland Road, and while he did a commendable job, it isn’t his natural role and particularly with the attacking demands of our full-backs in Gerrard’s preferred system and style, we need Cash’s ability to break forward and cause opposition defences problems down that right flank to go with the defensive side of the game.
It’s hoped that he does manage to get a full week of training under his belt, and it will no doubt help that we’re playing on Monday night which gives him additional time to prove his fitness, but it sounds positive for now that he’s moving towards returning to action.
