View: Ashley Young must step up to fill the Matty Cash void at Aston Villa
Veteran Aston Villa player Ashley Young must prove his worth to Steven Gerrard and that he is not merely a placeholder in the team.
Towards the latter stage of their careers, players often return to familiar surroundings even if they do not play too much.
The same feeling was sparked when the former Manchester United player made his return to Villa Park.
However, he’s not going to earn his money for nothing and with Matty Cash’s injury, Young becomes the de-facto first choice right-back.
In the unlikely 1-1 draw against Manchester City, Young proved his worth in front of the best-coached team in Europe.
He performed his defensive duties well and whenever he was given a chance to go forward, he took the most of his opportunities.
He came off the bench and won the most tackles of any player on the pitch – which is testament to him being able to follow the manager’s orders to the T.
Despite starting his career as an attacker, he has found it more comfortable to play as a full-back and that has improved his defensive awareness.
He does not throw himself into needless tackles and is always there at the right place and at the right time.
Gerrard may have been gutted to lose Cash but Young’s performance showcases that all is not bad for the Villa boss and he can still deliver results with this side.
In other Aston Villa news, manager Steven Gerrard is very keen to bring Liverpool defender Joe Gomez to the club.