Matty Cash, the Polish fullback for Aston Villa, suffered a shoulder injury on his return to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. The full-back was replaced in the 59th minute to raise some concerns for manager Unai Emery.
Matty Cash started on the right side of the four-man defense for the Aston Villa side. The fullback wasn’t impactful in the first half of the game. During the second half, just before the hour mark, Cash alerted the medical team at Aston Villa about his shoulder and signaled the bench to make a change.
Another substitution… pic.twitter.com/JmykisulAa
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 5, 2023
Unai Emery withdrew Cash in order for the medical team to get a better look at the injury. The shoulder injury was not the result of a direct tackle from the opposition. The mystery behind the cause of the injury added a layer of complexity to the matter. The extent of the injury has yet to be disclosed by Aston Villa.
Emery wasn’t pressed about the issue in the post-match interview. At the time of reporting, Aston Villa had not released any updates on their website about the injury. However, more updates on the injury can be expected when Emery holds a UEFA Conference League press conference for their clash with AZ Alkmaar.
Unai Emery reflects on defeat in Nottingham. 🗣️
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 5, 2023
Cash’s injury was substantial, as the attacking fullback could have been key for Emery’s side to threaten a comeback against Nottingham in the second half. The end whistle proved to be Aston Villa’s first loss against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League since 1994.
This marked the third defeat for Aston Villa in the season, as they missed out on a chance to go level with Arsenal and Liverpool at 24 points. In the next Premier League fixture, Aston Villa will host Fulham, who are 15th on the table.
Injury History of Matty Cash
Circling back to Matty Cash, the Polish fullback has an impeccable injury record in the last few seasons. As per the database on Transfermrkt, the right-back has only suffered one major injury in his career. He suffered a broken tibia back in 2016-17. Cash was on the books of Nottingham Forest at the time and missed 17 games for the English club that season.
Since then, the 26-year-old has been clear with injuries up to last season. In the 2022-23 season, Cash only missed 12 games throughout the season for club and country in all competitions with three different injuries. The latest shoulder injury will be the first injury of the season for Cash.
“Top of the league!” 🤩😂
Matty Cash on Villa’s aims for the season… pic.twitter.com/SPUCnaRftU
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 5, 2023
The Aston Villa full-back has been off to a decent start in the new season. He has played 17 games in all competitions, in which he has scored three goals and two assists. The Polish international has been a versatile option for Unai Emery, who has used him in the wing-back positions.
The latest setback will raise some eyebrows for the Villa fans. They will hope that the latest shoulder injury proves to be another minor setback like last season. The English club would need Matty Cash to make a quick return as they make a run toward a potential top-four finish in the Premier League.