Unai Emery has revealed why the Villa fans’ favourite player was absent from yesterday’s game against Club Brugge and provided an injury update on when he could return.

Aston Villa could be without Matty Cash for Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Nottingham Forest, with the defender facing a late fitness test after missing Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Club Brugge.

Forest head to Villa Park for a 3pm kick-off searching for their first win of the campaign.

Oliver Glasner’s side have taken two points from their opening three games, drawing with Liverpool and Tottenham, and will be determined to get their season moving.

Villa, meanwhile, come into the fixture after a busy week that saw them beat Club Brugge 3-2 in Belgium. Cash was absent from the matchday squad, with reports suggesting the former Forest defender remained at home because of muscle discomfort.

Villa were understood to be taking no chances with their first-choice right-back, allowing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to make his debut. Whether Cash will recover in time to face his former club should become clearer when Unai Emery addresses the media on Friday.

Villa were also without Leon Goretzka and Johan Manzambi through injury, while Brian Madjo was unavailable and was not registered for the Champions League.

Forest are hopeful Ibrahim Sangare will be fit after being rested against Tottenham. Nicolo Savona remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury.

Glasner said: “He was not risked. We always have Tuesday and Wednesday as quite intense sessions. Here, he was not training with the team or just partly in the last two days.”