Matty Cash was absent from Aston Villa's travelling party for their Champions League fixture against Club Brugge on 8 September after experiencing muscle discomfort. Birmingham Live reported that the coaching staff chose to leave the right-back at home rather than risk aggravating the problem during the European tie.
The precautionary decision handed Aaron Wan-Bissaka his first appearance for the club. He slotted straight into the starting eleven at right-back, one of three alterations made by Unai Emery for the match in Belgium.
Pau Torres and João Gomes also returned to the side, while Tyrone Mings and Ross Barkley moved to the substitutes' bench. The changes reflected a degree of rotation for the continental fixture.
Villa's selection options were further reduced by injuries to Leon Goretzka, Johan Manzambi and Brian Madjo. Madjo had not been registered for the Champions League campaign regardless, and neither had Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who arrived on deadline day as a replacement for Ezri Konsa but was ineligible for the competition.
At the time of the report, it remained unclear whether Cash would recover in time for the following Saturday's Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. Emery was due to address the media on Friday to provide an update before that game.
