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Three instant Aston Villa changes Unai Emery should make vs Man United - verdict
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- Three instant Aston Villa changes Unai Emery should make vs Man United - verdict
Unai Emery is likely to make changes to his Aston Villa starting XI after a worrying 3-0 loss to Barcelona.
The Villans manager will be far from happy with what his side showed at Camp Nou, even if the Catalans are among the best in the world.
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There was little joy for the Premier League side going forward, and those who started did little to keep their place safe.
Meanwhile, there were a few who impressed off the bench against the Spanish giants.
Ahead of Manchester United, those on the fringes will be hoping for their chance.
And that should arrive with Emery needing to make at least three changes.
Joao Gomes' Barcelona nightmare puts his starting place under threat
Joao Gomes did not have the best of games against Barcelona, with the Brazilian committing an error leading to a goal, as per FotMob .
However, his performance was poor for more than just that reason.
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Gomes touched the ball just 25 times over his 62-minute performance, and struggled to win the ball back for his side.
He attempted four tackles, winning only two at Camp Nou.
His withdrawal was ultimately a sign that Emery had seen enough, and you would fear for his place ahead of his weekend.
And it may be time for Leon Goretzka to be given the nod.
Prince William and Unai Emery 'deeply concerned' about star: Four things you missed from Aston Villa vs Barcelona Ibrahim Mbaye gives Unai Emery a selection headache
Ibrahim Mbaye is still waiting for his first chance to become a trusted Aston Villa star.
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The Senegalese winger has had to feature off the bench more times than not, but his positivity in trying to get forward is needed.
Against Barcelona, Mbaye created the joint-most chances for Villa, despite only coming on in the 62nd minute.
Additionally, he completed his only attempted dribble and two out of three crosses.
Overall, it was an impressive cameo and one that should surely place him high in his manager's thoughts.
Could Emery turn to a rarely-seen defender to replace Matty Cash?
Matty Cash is at least one change that will have to be made ahead of facing Manchester United.
The Polish international is set to serve a one-game ban following an accumulation of five bookings.
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With Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggieri both out injured, it leaves Emery with few options to choose from.
In the end, the Spaniard will likely have to turn to a centre-back to fill out wide, and the likely option could be Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
The summer signing has yet to feature in the Premier League, but with Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres left-footed, and Victor Lindelof not having a lot of pace, the Englishman makes the most sense to start at fullback.
