Matty Cash explains why Aston Villa won't go on the defensive in Club Brugge second leg

Villa head into the last-16 second leg tie holding a two-goal advantage after last week’s 3-1 win in Belgium.

But right-back Cash dismissed any suggestion Emery’s men might look to sit on the lead, as they try to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s top club competition for the first time since 1983.

"Our full mindset is to win the game and to do everything we can to qualify,” he said. 

"I know we've got the two-goal lead, but tomorrow for us it's a 0-0 game and you're just starting again. 

"So we want to try and win the game tomorrow and hopefully it'll be good if we could."

Cash explained how Emery’s approach was best summed up by his message to the players brought off the bench when last week’s first leg was tied at 1-1.

The 27-year-old was one of four 64th minute substitutes and later won the penalty which Marco Asensio converted to give Villa their two-goal advantage heading back to Birmingham.

He said: “If the game is level and you are coming off the bench, the manager always says: 'Let's just try and win the game and do everything we can to win the game.'

"He doesn't want to draw. He just focuses, he's got that winning mentality. So do everything you can to win. 

"And obviously me as an attacking full-back, if I can get the chance to go forward and get in the opposition's box, I love to do that.

"The message is clear, yes. Try and win the game and do everything you can to win.”

Villa are clear favourites to progress, having won nine of their 11 home European matches under Emery, with last year’s 4-2 Conference League semi-final defeat to Olympiacos the only blemish on their record.

Victory on Wednesday would set up a potentially thrilling final two months of the season, with Emery’s men next in action when they travel to Preston for an FA Cup quarter-final on March 30.

Cash, who is among the club’s longest-serving players having first joined from Nottingham Forest for an initial £14million in 2020, believes the current squad is the strongest he has known.

He said: “With all due respect to the squads we've had before, I think this is the best squad we've had in the years I've been here, for sure. 

“I think if you look at every single position, we're strong. In almost every position, you have two really good players now. 

“It's really important to have that all around the squad. When you're playing games after games, to have that rotation is good.      

“It's an exciting time to be a Villa player and a Villa fan, I think. We're in the quarters of the FA Cup. If you win the next game, you go to Wembley. That would be a great day out if you can get that. 

“So I think it's good to be excited, definitely. As I said, I think not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but definitely to have that excitement to see what you could achieve.”