Villa's Bogarde Set for Arsenal Clash Amid Injury Blow

Aston Villa are set to welcome back Diego Carlos for their Premier League clash with Arsenal at Villa Park on Saturday, as manager Unai Emery faces a defensive headache following Matty Cash's injury.

Cash was forced off during Villa's opening day draw against West Ham, potentially ruling him out for several weeks. This has left Emery with a selection dilemma at right-back, with the experienced Carlos and the younger Kosta Nedeljkovic vying for a spot in the starting XI.

Sky Sports and talkSPORT journalist Dan Bardell believes that Emery will opt for Carlos' experience, particularly against the attacking prowess of Arsenal. He told Villa News that, "It would be a big ask to put Nedeljkovic in against Arsenal, one of the best teams in European football."

Bardell continued, "I think it's a tough decision. When you look back to last season when Villa beat Arsenal home and away it was with Carlos at centre-back and Konsa at right-back, so my expectation would be that."

Carlos' return could see Konsa moved back to his natural position at centre-back, with the recently signed Lamare Bogarde potentially providing cover from the bench. Bardell added, "You might even see Lamare Bogarde on the bench as that backup centre-back."

Despite Nedeljkovic's impressive performance after coming on against West Ham, Bardell believes the young defender may not be ready for such a challenging fixture. "I think if it was lesser opposition, Nedeljkovic would have come in," he said.

Meanwhile, Carlos' summer has been punctuated by transfer rumours, with the Brazilian linked with a move away from Villa Park. However, the 31-year-old appears to have remained at Villa, and his presence is a welcome boost for Emery ahead of the Arsenal game.

Carlos excelled against Arsenal last season, playing a key role in Villa's two victories over the Gunners. His return could prove crucial as Villa seek to repeat their success against their North London rivals.

Emery will ultimately have a tough decision to make on his starting lineup. However, the strength in depth of the Villa squad, highlighted by the options available at the back, suggests that the manager has plenty of flexibility at his disposal.