Arsenal's upcoming clash with Aston Villa is set to be a big one, but former manager Unai Emery is set to be impacted by the loss of a key player when the two sides face off.
18:09, 27 Dec 2025Updated 18:37, 27 Dec 2025
Unai Emery, Manager of Aston Villa, reacts during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Manchester United
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Unai Emery will be missing a key player for his return to Arsenal(Image: (Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images))
Unai Emery and his Aston Villa side have been handed a huge blow as Matty Cash will be suspended for their match against Arsenal. The right-back picked up his fifth booking of the season during his team's trip to Stamford Bridge, as they took on Chelsea in another important Premier League tie.
Cash will be a huge miss for Emery, on his return to the Emirates Stadium, having become an important player on the right flank. That much was made clear when the Polish international scored against Arsenal in the reverse fixture at Villa Park after just 36 minutes.
It was an important goal, as it played a role in Emery getting one over his old side, picking up a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Gunners. Villa have been one of the surprise packages in the Premier League title race, looking to put pressure on Arsenal and Mikel Arteta in the process.
Despite a slow start, without a win in any of their first five and in the relegation zone, the Villans have been in some incredible form to get them in the top four. Heading into gameweek 18, just three points separated them from Arsenal at the top, which put them in the discussion as part of a title race.
They would need things to go their way, given their European commitments, to push the top two all the way this season. Villa lack some of the squad depth that Arsenal and Man City have at the top, which will be truly tested with Cash now missing out against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.
Andres Garcia could be his natural replacement, though the Spanish right-back is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season. The 22-year-old signed from Levante last January, but has been out of action at the start of the campaign with a muscular problem.
Now fit and available again, he could be one of the options that Emery turns to as a replacement for Cash against Arsenal. That comes as a potential boost to the Gunners, who have some selection issues of their own across the whole team, heading into that tie.
Riccardo Calafiori, who could have come up against Cash on that flank, is now an injury doubt after picking up a problem in the warm-up before the Brighton match. Myles Lewis-Skelly came into the team in his place, and could retain that left-back position at Villa Park, after a slow start to his campaign.
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Ahead of him may be one of three options on the left wing, with Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, and Eberechi Eze all capable of causing problems up against Villa. That may be the boost that Arteta needs to finally get one over Emery, who has been a thorn in his side over recent seasons.
In eight meetings with the former Arsenal manager, he has picked up just two wins, with two draws and four defeats. Arteta will be keen to turn that around when they face off at the Emirates Stadium, which would offer a huge boost to their title chances.
"They are," Arteta said when asked if Villa can challenge for the title earlier this month. "When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home.
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"Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well."