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Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE international Marvelous Nakamba is set to get another chance to impress Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery in a friendly match against Championship outfit Cardiff City tonight. 

The Warriors midfielder is facing an uncertain future at the English Premiership side and has been earmarked for disposal during the upcoming January window. 

Nakamba has not played a match, with the season approaching the halfway stage. 

The 28-year-old fell out of favour with previous coach Steven Gerrard and has also not played a game under Emery in both the Premiership and the EFL Cup competitions.

But, with some of the team players away at the FIFA World Cup while others that have played more games during the season have been given an extended break, Nakamba could be considered for tonight’s friendly and another one against Chelsea in their upcoming tour of the United Arab Emirates. 

Villa have a third sparring match in the pipeline against Spanish side Villarreal during this prolonged World Cup break that ends on Boxing Day. The club announced they will play a friendly against Cardiff City in the Peter Whittingham Memorial Match tonight. The match was arranged in memory of former Bluebirds and Villa player Peter Whittingham, who passed away in March 2020 at the age of 35. 

The match in south Wales will see both clubs honour the late Whittingham with play to stop in the seventh minute to remember the former midfielder who died after a fall. 

Ahead of the match, Nakamba was among the 16 players that returned to training at the weekend after a two-week World Cup break. 

Villa have just four players participating at the World Cup in Qatar, allowing the remainder of the squad to get used to Emery’s methods during their upcoming friendlies. 

Argentine goalkeeper Emi Martinez, Matty Cash, Jan Bednarek and Leander Dendoncker are still at the World Cup with all four remaining hopeful of progressing through to the knockout rounds. Robin Olsen, Ludwig Augustinsson and John McGinn have been given additional time off after their respective international involvement prior to the World Cup. The Birmingham Mail reported that Nakamba could be in line for selection for the match tonight. 

“Looking ahead to Wednesday at the Cardiff City Stadium, here’s a run through of a potential starting XI should Emery wish to cast his eye over those on the fringes given their lack of involvement this season.

“With Emi Martinez starring for Argentina at the World Cup it’ll mean Olsen will be favourite to get some match minutes in midweek. England under-19 goalkeeper Filip Marschall is also in line for some game time.

“In defence for Villa, Emery has limited options available to him given Matty Cash and Jan Bednarek are in Qatar while Diego Carlos remains sidelined with his Achilles injury. 

“We could see a strong back four of Ashley Young, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne in place against Cardiff City, with Calum Chambers also an option at centre-back. 

“Moving into midfield and head coach Emery will want to have a good look at Marvelous Nakamba who’s yet to feature this season. 

“The 28-year-old has failed to make Emery’s two Premier League squads but was on the bench for the cup defeat to United earlier this month. “A two-man midfield pivot of Nakamba and Boubacar Kamara could be an option for Emery, while other options are, of course, Douglas Luiz and Morgan Sanson.”

Villa are also due to travel to Dubai next week for a warm-weather training camp which will culminate with a friendly against Chelsea in Abu Dhabi on December 11. 

Four days later, Villa will host Emery’s former club Villarreal at Villa Park in their final warm-up match before their Boxing Day fixture with Liverpool. However, Nakamba is heavily tipped to leave the club in January along with goalkeeper Jed Steer, Jan Bednarek, Frederic Guilbert, Ludwig Augustinsson, Morgan Sanson, Philippe Coutinho and Cameron Archer. But Emery still need to have one final closer look. At his unveiling recently, the Spaniard said of the January transfer market: “For now we focus on the players we have, to try and improve their performances individually, to give them confidence to better their skills and capacity.”