Neil Cutler: Goalkeeper competitive rivalry is good for Aston Villa
Villa goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler reckons the competitive rivalry between Orjan Nyland and Pepe Reina can bring the best out of both men.
Nyland, who stepped up to be No.1 following Tom Heaton’s season-ending knee injury, lost his place following last month’s loan signing of Reina.
Not even a man-of-the-match performance in Villa’s Carabao Cup semi-final win over Leicester was enough to win it back, with former Spain international Reina coming back in for the next Premier League match at Bournemouth.
But Cutler said: “Orjan is pushing him (Pepe) every day and it has to be that way.
“Pepe has come in and he (Orjan) is not playing and is not happy with it. That’s the way it should be. We just have to make sure we keep his head right.”
Reina is expected to keep his place for Sunday’s visit of Tottenham with Cutler describing the former Spain international as a ‘leader of men’.
