‘Brilliant’: Alan Shearer praises £65k-a-week Aston Villa star for superb all-round display

Follow us on Google Discover

Alan Shearer has praised Matty Cash in his latest Team of the Week for the official Premier League website after scoring a ‘brilliant’ first goal for Aston Villa to help beat Everton 3-0.

Dean Smith awarded Cash his 33rd Villans outings on Saturday evening as the Birmingham-based outfit hosted the Toffees. The 24-year-old has started each of his appearances, all in the Premier League, since moving to Villa Park from Nottingham Forest for £16m in 2020.

Cash was yet to score in claret-and-blue before facing Rafa Benitez’s Blues at the weekend, while offering three assists. But he opened his account and the scoring in sublime fashion, firing a left-foot rocket past Toffees stopper Asmir Begovic.

Cash’s goal opened the floodgates for Aston Villa against Everton, with Lucas Digne turning Leon Bailey’s corner into his own net three-minutes later. The Villans’ £25m summer arrival then got his goal six-minutes after, with Bailey finding the roof of the visitor’s net.

Bailey’s introduction changed the game for Smith and put the hosts in the ascendency. But Cash impressed Shearer with both his goal and in helping Aston Villa to shut out Everton.

“Scored a brilliant first goal for the club and played a key part in keeping a clean sheet to end Everton’s unbeaten start,” Shearer wrote.

Is Aston Villa star Cash among the Premier League’s best right-backs?

Shearer named Cash as his top-performing right-midfielder of the Premier League weekend after the right-back thrived for Aston Villa in a more advanced role to help beat Everton on Saturday. Offering a vital presence in both defensive and offensive phases of the game.

Cash was devastating on the break to strike his first Aston Villa goal with his weaker left-foot. The £65k-a-week dynamo caught Digne on his heels to collect possession from Douglas Luiz, before riffling home from 16-yards out.

Playing in a more advanced role suited Cash as it afforded the Slough-born star chances to get on the ball. He also kept Alex Iwobi relatively quiet, and limited the opportunities Digne had to push forward and create openings.