Diego Carlos has been linked with an Aston Villa exit
Diego Carlos has been linked with an Aston Villa exit
Match

Unai Emery could live to regret 'interesting' Diego Carlos decision during Aston Villa v Arsenal

Harri Burton
Harri Burton

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior football journalist specialising in refereeing and officiating; former contributor to The Football League Paper, Late Tackle, and the Premier League; University of Derby graduate. FOCUS Refereeing controversies, football finance and governance, PGMOL decisions, and officiating analysis across the Premier League, EFL, and SPFL. THE INSIGHT Harri utilises a network of officiating and industry contacts to deliver verified, expert analysis of refereeing decisions and PGMOL policy. He provides the regulatory clarity behind the controversy to ensure fans get the full picture.

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Unai Emery will be regretting his decision to start Matty Cash over Diego Carlos as Aston Villa faced Arsenal on Saturday (24 August).

The Poland international limped off during the 2-1 victory over West Ham United in the opening game of the Premier League season, though he was thrown straight back into the lineup to face the Gunners.

This decision backfired almost immediately as Cash was substituted after just 16 minutes, with Emery deciding to replace him with Kosta Nedeljkovic instead of his Brazilian defender.

With both Carlos and Ezri Konsa capable of deputising at right-back, and the former doing so well against Mikel Arteta's side home and away last term, some are bemused by his decision to bring an 18-year-old on instead.

Taking to X on Saturday (24 August), Jacob Tanswell wrote: "Kosta Nedelijkovic will be coming on for Matty Cash. Very interesting given Diego Carlos got player of the match in both games last season. A big ask for the youngster."

Unai Emery snubs Diego Carlos for Kosta Nedelijkovic in Aston Villa v Arsenal

To give some context to his performance against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium, Carlos left the field with an exemplary 92 per cent pass completion during a 2-0 victory for the Villans [FotMob].

While he only won 50 per cent of his ground duels, he proved himself in the return leg earlier in the campaign, winning 80 per cent of his tackles (4/5), 71 per cent of his ground duels (5/7) and 100 per cent of his aerial duels (1/1) [FotMob].

While Cash offers a very different type of player down the right flank, ranking in the top 82 percentile for non-penalty goals, the top 93 percentile for shots and the top 89 percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area, Emery would have likely wanted to sure up the defence after suffering a massive injury blow [FBref].

This makes it all the more confusing as to why Carlos was not added to the field of play, instead 18-year-old Nedelijkovic was given just his second game in a Villa shirt against Gabriel Martinelli.

Emery will need to pray that this decision does not come to haunt him, with Arsenal pushing to take the lead at Villa Park.

In other Aston Villa news, the club have opened talks with Chelsea for Raheem Sterling as a wage twist emerges.

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Aston Villa
Matty Cash
Diego Carlos
Arsenal
Unai Emery
www.astonvillanews.co.uk