Aston Villa debate over after 'absolutely flawless' Matty Cash display vs Manchester City
Matty Cash's latest showing in Aston Villa's 2-1 win over Manchester City was brilliant yet again.
There had been concern around his position in the side after the Villans signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The 28-year-old, who is on loan with an option to buy, is regarded as a better defensive option.
However, he was ruled out for up to three weeks just before the clash with Enzo Maresca's side.
That may have been a fatal issue, but it is unlikely that Cash will be axed anytime soon by Unai Emery after his latest display.
He proved that the debate on who is the starting right-back is firmly over against the Citizens, as the B6 side temporarily moved to sixth in the Premier League.
What has been said about Matty Cash's showing against Manchester City?
Cash was fighting for his place in the side, with Wan-Bissaka challenging him for the position.
Owen Hargreaves was blown away by Cash's performance in the Villa Park clash, though.
Speaking live on TNT Sports, he said: “Brilliant, I think Matty Cash has been absolutely flawless.”
There is no riposte to that argument, as the data proves that he was well and truly excellent against the title contenders.
How did Cash perform in Aston Villa win?
Cash played the full game against Jeremy Doku, who is regarded as one of the most tricky attackers in the game, with blistering pace and skills in abundance.
The Poland international had 13 defensive contributions in the clash, with eight tackles, two blocks, two clearances, and one interception, per FotMob data.
It was a tense battle with Doku, as he won nine of his 18 ground duels, for a 50 per cent success rate.
The fact that he completed the highest top speed in the game with 36km/h when battling with the Belgian winger is rather telling.
He also helped contribute in attack, creating one chance for his teammates, making four line-breaking passes and completing all three of his long passes, for a 100 per cent success rate.
He stood up against a very dangerous threat and came out on top, helping secure all three points for the hosts.
If Cash maintains that level of performance against some of the best wingers in football, it is difficult to see how Wan-Bissaka can overhaul him in Emery's best side.