Matty Cash in contention for Aston Villa return at Nottingham Forest

The right-back, who moved across the Midlands for £16million two years ago, is back in full training this week after a month out with a hamstring injury.

His return is a timely boost for boss Steven Gerrard, who has seen his defensive resources hit by a series of injuries.

Left-back Ludwig Augustinsson is the latest absentee after suffering a hamstring injury just 45 minutes into his Premier League debut at Leeds on Sunday.

The Sweden international had been drafted into the team in place of Lucas Digne, who is out with a heel problem. Ashley Young, who has been deputising for Cash at right-back, is likely to move to the opposite flank at the City Ground should his younger team-mate be deemed ready to go.

Villa will head across the Midlands under a little more pressure having failed to score against 10-man Leeds and with Forest sitting bottom of the table, following their 4-0 defeat at Leicester on Monday.

Despite a return of just eight points from the first eight matches, Gerrard believes his team are on the right track after a run of three unbeaten.

He said: “I think we have turned a corner. I would not say we have gone from one level to an extremely high level.

“There is tonnes of work to do but we are certainly defending better and looking organised. We are close to the improvement. But there is still tonnes to do.”