Pau Torres injury update issued after 'worrying' substitution vs Nottingham Forest - Unai Emery reveals plan

Unai Emery has confirmed Pau Torres' half-time substitution against Nottingham Forest was merely precautionary after Aston Villa's star defender felt some "small pain" in the back of his leg.

The Villa boss was a little perplexed in the dressing room at the interval as Pau mentioned an increased risk of injury. The decision was then made to take him off for Calum Chambers so as not to further any potential issue.

“He had a small pain, not injured at the beginning, hopefully not. We decided not to risk him. It's something in the back of his leg," Emery confirmed in the post-match press conference.

"We will wait and scan him. Hopefully, I am thinking it’s not really an injury because he finished the first half playing but he was telling us he was at risk," Emery explained.

If Pau's scan reveals an injury, Villa could get in quite the spot of bother as Clement Lenglet and Chambers would be the only first-team centre backs available with Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Diego Carlos all out.

Chambers isn't exactly favoured by Emery, who has admitted the centre-back was told to depart Villa Park in the previous two transfer windows. The admiration for the defender's character remains in some degree, however.

"He's a very good man. I respect him a lot. Even in the summer, I said let him leave. In the winter, I said let him leave. But he decided to stay here. I am including him in everything and today I am very happy for him," Emery said.