Callum O'Connell

Fri 29 December 2023 20:10, UK

Alex Moreno must step up his performances for Aston Villa after Lucas Digne was ruled out for up to a month following a hamstring injury in the 3-2 defeat at Manchester United, according to The Athletic.

The Frenchman sustained the injury while sliding to block Alejandro Garnacho’s disallowed goal before the home side mounted a comeback, and will now miss around a month.

Moreno will be the man called upon to replace Digne, with Unai Emery claiming he is ready to fill the role, but he will have to step up his performances if he wants to make the place his own.

Moreno played 40 minutes at Old Trafford after replacing Digne, and while the collapse cannot be blamed solely on his performance, the Spaniard saw the Red Devils overturn Villa’s 2-0 lead as they struggled to keep the tight defence they have shown in recent weeks.

His lack of influence on the game is made clear when looking at the stats, with just 13 completed passes in 40 minutes as Villa struggled for possession, while the Spaniard also won just 50% of his ground duels and completed 50% of his crosses and dribbles. [Sofascore]

Before that, Moreno had featured in a 14-minute cameo appearance in the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United at Villa Park, in an unremarkable display that saw him fail to complete a single one of his attempted dribbles or cross.

The left-back last played 90 minutes in the 2-1 away win against Brentford (17 December), where he found the back of the net, recorded a 100% long-ball accuracy, competed in four ground duels, made four clearances, two tackles, and attempted four shots, which displayed his influence at both ends of the pitch.

If Moreno wants to step up in place of the injured Digne, the performance against Brentford set the benchmark for what he can do under Emery’s guidance, but he must avoid repeats of his performances from the bench against Man United and Sheffield United.

In other Aston Villa news, Emery may be forced into a transfer U-turn by one key player.