Aston Villa continued their recent slide in domestic competition, losing 3-1 at Manchester United on Sunday. Concern for finishing in the top four is understandably rising, but the vibes are quite different for continental competition. In the UEFA Europa League, things are looking up, as Villa will likely book a place in the quarterfinals come Thursday night. They’re now coming home with a 1-0 lead on Lille in the tie, and chances are they’ll close it out convincingly on Thursday night. This UEL affair could see Matty Cash return from a calf injury, and if so, what a big boost that would be.
UEFA Europa League Round of 16, Leg 2 of 2
Aston Villa vs LOSC
Aggregate: Aston Villa leads 1-0
Kickoff: Thurs. March 19, 8pm, Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
Aston Villa Team News
“Matty Cash is progressing well, and tomorrow we’ll see if he can be with us on Sunday or not,” Villa boss Unai Emery said on Friday, ahead of the loss to United. While Cash didn’t make the matchday squad, the fact that he was in such close contention certainly bodes well for his chances of featuring in this one.
Elsewhere Boubacar Kamara (knee) remains of course out for the season while Emery had another piece of good injury news to share on Friday afternoon.
“Youri Tielemans is progressing well, but there’s still time to work individually to join us,” Emery said of the midfielder’s ankle injury. His timeline for return is still early to mid-April, but he seems to be coming along nicely. Or at least on schedule.
Finally, with Jadon Sancho unable to feature this past weekend, as Villa was facing his parent club, the Manchester United loanee will likely see some playing time here in midweek.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.