Aston Villa will hope to claim back to back wins in the Premier League for the first time since November when they welcome Leeds United on Saturday evening.
Following the brief international break, Aston Villa and Leeds United mark their return to Premier League action at Villa Park on Wednesday night. Aston Villa edged out Everton 1-0 to secure three vital points just before the international break. Emiliano Buendia scored the game’s only goal just before halftime from a Lucas Digne corner.
It followed another strong performance against Manchester United, which means Villa have now taken four points from their last two Premier League games, ending an unpleasant streak of two losses, coupled with an FA Cup exit. While finishing in the European spots seems unlikely, Villa have laid solid foundations for a top-half finish on the back of a positive January window and are currently occupying the 11th spot in the league table.
Meanwhile, Marcelo Bielsa’s side were dealt a harsh dose of reality in their most recent top-flight game, as they fell to a 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened Newcastle United after winning back-to-back games against Burnley and West Ham United. The Whites went through the whole of the January transfer window without welcoming a single fresh face to their injury-ridden squad, which is worrying given the clubs below them have reinforced their rosters.
Leeds United are currently sitting 15th in the Premier League standings, having collected 22 points after 21 games. They have a tough run of fixtures ahead of them as they take on Everton, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City this month.
While the Peacocks still hold a seven-point lead above the relegation zone, it will only take a couple of defeats for Leeds to be dragged into a messy scrap for survival. Results in this stretch of games in February might determine their fate this season.
The corresponding fixture between the two sides this term was postponed due to COVID-19. Leeds ran riot with a comfortable 3-0 win at Villa Park last season, but the Lions avenged that loss with a 1-0 victory at Elland Road in February 2021. Ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides, the Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams.
Tactics & Team News
Aston Villa
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) February 8, 2022
Villa will soon be able to welcome Bertrand Traore back into the squad after his Africa Cup of Nations commitment, but he will almost certainly not feature against Leeds. Marvelous Nakamba will remain sidelined for an extended period as he recovers from a nasty knee injury, while Leon Bailey is also nearing a comeback from a thigh injury.
The Lions have bolstered their defensive ranks further in January with the surprising capture of Calum Chambers from Arsenal, but the Englishman is only likely to be considered for a spot on the bench for this clash, with Steven Gerrard having no reason whatsoever to alter the side that took to the field in the Goodison Park triumph before the break.
Emiliano Martinez will continue to operate between the sticks for the Midlands outfit, with the Villans lining up in a customary 4-3-3 formation in front of him. Gerrard could opt for an established central defensive pairing of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings at the heart of the defence, where they will be flanked by the full-back duo of Matty Cash and Lucas Digne.
Both the full-backs will have the license to surge forward and add width, especially Digne, whose quality deliveries into the box could be a direct route to breach Leeds’ defence. Douglas Luiz will sit the deepest of the three-man midfield setup, shielding the hosts’ backline and anchoring the play with the support of John McGinn and young Jacob Ramsey.
McGinn and Ramsey will also be tasked to provide energy and box-to-box presence to support the attacking contingent. Emiliano Buendia and Philippe Coutinho are expected to create chances from wide positions, playing on the left and right wing respectively. Ollie Watkins will look to rediscover his scoring boots spearheading the attacking line for the hosts.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Luiz, Ramsey; Buendia, Watkins, Coutinho
Leeds United
??? R10! pic.twitter.com/Pi0R3nICkS
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 8, 2022
Leeds United are hoping to get Jamie Shackleton, Charlie Cresswell, and Adam Forshaw back from injury for Wednesday’s game at Villa Park. Patrick Bamford is still out after making little progress in his rehabilitation from injury, while other key players Kalvin Phillips, Junior Firpo and Liam Cooper are also out for the foreseeable future.
Whites’ boss Marcelo Bielsa is hoping talisman Raphinha will shake off a slight injury sustained with Brazil in time for the clash. Joe Gelhardt and Tyler Roberts marked their return from injury as substitutes in their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle before the break, and both are pushing hard to feature here.
Bielsa could deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Forshaw returning to the fold in a midfield double-pivot alongside Mateusz Klich. The 30-year-old will anchor the midfield with his precise distribution skills, while the latter will thrust the attack forward while providing defensive cover.
The width in attack will come from the dynamic duo of Raphinha and Jack Harrison after a relatively quiet game last time out against Newcastle. Rodrigo, in particular, will be given much more attacking freedom and look to impress alongside Daniel James, whose tremendous speed and sharp movement could come in handy up top.
In goal, there is no looking past Illan Meslier. Robin Koch could return to his familiar centre-back role after filling in as holding midfielder recently, and the German international will form a central defensive partnership alongside Pascal Struijk. Firpo’s likely absence will see Stuart Dallas slotting in at left-back, while Luke Ayling continues to perform in the right-back position.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Koch, Dallas; Klich, Forshaw; Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison; James
Key Stats
- The hosts have only won one of the last seven meetings between the two sides (D3 L3), a narrow 1-0 win at Villa Park in April 2018.
- Aston Villa have not failed to score at Villa Park in the Premier League this season, but have only registered two wins from their last seven top-flight games on home soil.
- Leeds United defeated West Ham United 3-2 at the London Stadium in their most recent away encounter. They have not won two away league games in a row since defeating Burnley and Southampton in May last year.
- The Peacocks have been relatively easy to break down on their away trips and have shipped 14 goals in the last four away games in all competitions.
- Leeds United have won just two of their 10 league away games this season and have now conceded 23 goals – only Southampton and Norwich City have a worse record in that regard.
Player to Watch
Raphinha
With Leeds United continuing to operate without star duo Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford for extended spells this season, Raphinha has been Leeds’ standout performer by some distance, contributing with 8 goals and 2 assists in 19 Premier League appearances this term.
Not only does he have eye-catching trickery and brilliance on the ball, but he seems to relish the dirty side of the game, reflected by his average of around 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game. His all-action performances have apparently garnered serious interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
But the Yorkshire giants are reluctant to let their prized asset leave and instead are close to agreeing a new deal for the Brazilian attacker, which would be quite a coup for the Peacocks. The 25-year-old attacker would again be looking to make vital contributions to his side on the pitch as they aim to avoid being in a relegation dogfight.
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-1 Leeds United
Leeds have been plagued by injuries this season and there is still a threat that they may finish in the Premier League’s bottom three. On the other hand, Gerrard is doing an excellent job as a manager at Villa Park and has sensibly utilized the winter window as Villa look to push for a top-half finish this season.
Gerrard’s side looks more balanced and filled with quality across all departments compared to their opposition. They also hold the home advantage. Hence, the Hard Tackle is predicting Gerrard’s troops to emerge victorious in a hard-fought game at Villa Park with a 2-1 scoreline on Wednesday evening.
