Matty Cash reveals Tyrone Mings 'joke' after Aston Villa's big win at Club Brugge

Mings played a key role as Unai Emery’s team claimed a 3-1 Champions League win in Belgium on Tuesday night, four months after suffering embarrassment at the same venue when he conceded a penalty by picking up the ball.

Cash explained how Villa’s players had made light of the incident in the build-up to their last-16 re-match, in which Mings set up a goal and made a vital goal-line clearance.

Asked about Mings’ performance, the right-back quipped: “I think he was just happy to not handball it tonight! 

“Obviously at the time, it was pretty serious, but yesterday we made a little joke in the group about the handball he did. And tonight I think he was brilliant so it shows his character and mentality.

“At the time it was whatever happened, happened, but now we can sort of have a laugh about it and it won't happen again.” 

Cash hopes Villa’s squad is ready to peak at the right time after proclaiming Tuesday night’s win as a sign of their strength in depth.

The right-back was one of four players brought on by Unai Emery in the second half at the Jan Breydelstadion and won the penalty, converted by fellow substitute Marco Asensio, which earned them a two-goal cushion heading into next Wednesday’s second leg.

Cash is among several players to have experienced a frustrating season with injury but with Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley the only ones remaining on the sidelines, Emery’s unit is back close to being full strength.

“It's obviously nice, I think on Tuesday we had a pretty much full squad other than obviously Onana and Barclay,” said Cash. 

“We have got a really good team, a good squad, we’ve got a great morale and we’ve obviously got players in each position that can make a difference. 

“In different games you need different players. Tonight we had four changes, which is obviously nice for the manager.” 

Asensio, who thumped home his 88th minute spot-kick after Cash was brought down by Christos Tzolis, has now scored five goals in six appearances since joining on loan from Paris St-Germain for the rest of the season.

The 29-year-old, a three-time winner of the Champions League with Real Madrid, became the first player to hit double figures in the competition as a substitute.

“His experience is key,” said Cash. “Him stepping over the penalty, I kind of knew where it was going. 

“He shows that leadership in that quality day in and day out. He's obviously played for the biggest club in the world and other clubs as well. He’s got a lot of quality and his mindset and his mentality is amazing.”

Villa, now in pole position to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, are already through to the last-eight of the FA Cup for the first time in a decade.

Asked if players were daring to dream of glory, Cash replied: “As players and as a group, you obviously want do the best you can and you want to dream about playing in the big games and competing. 

“But it is a cliche, you have got to take every game as it comes because when you get into the later stages the quality of the teams you're up against is a high quality, so you can only do as best as you can. 

“We want to dream, we want to try and compete in every competition we can and hopefully we can.”