Aston Villa will host Brentford at Villa Park on Saturday, looking to boost their chances of UEFA Champions League qualification.
Aston Villa are coming into the game against Brentford this weekend on the back of a heavyy defeat against Manchester City. So, Unai Emery will demand a strong reaction from his players on Saturday.
The Villans have failed to win three of their last four league games, and they cannot afford to keep dropping points at this stage of the season. Meanwhile, Brentford are 15th in the league table, and they are on an eight-game winless run.
With relegation still possible, the Bees will be eager bounce back strongly. They could easily be dragged into the relegation battle if they continue keep dropping points. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
Boubacar Kamara, Emiliano Buendia, and Tyrone Mings have been ruled out for the season, and they are set to miss out. Jacob Ramsey is out with an ankle injury, while Matty Cash has picked up a thigh injury.
Aston Villa are likely to shape up in their usual 4-4-1-1 formation, with Emiliano Martinez in goal. Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne are likely to be deployed as the full-backs. They will look to keep things compact at the back and help out in the attack. Diego Carlos will start at the heart of the defence alongside Pau Torres.
Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans will start in the central midfield pairing. The Brazilian will look to add defensive cover to the side, and the Belgian will add creativity and control. Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby will start in the wide areas. They will look to add pace and flair from the flanks.
Ollie Watkins will lead the line for Aston Villa, with John McGinn behind him in the attacking midfield role. While the Englishman’s availability is not certain, he should start as Aston Villa look to retain their spot in the top four.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Moreno; Bailey, Luiz, Tielemans, Diaby; McGinn; Watkins
Brentford
Brentford will be without Joshua DaSilva, who has been ruled out for the season with an eye injury. Rico Henry and Ben Mee are unlikely to return this season. Aaron Hickey misses out with a thigh injury, while Ethan Pinnock is unavailable due to an ankle injury, and Christian Norgaard has a lower back injury.
Brentford will shape up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Mark Flekken in goal. In the back three, Zanka will start alongside Kristoffer Ajer and Nathan Collins. Mads Roerslev and Sergio Reguilon will start as the wing backs. The duo will look to help out during counter-attacks, and they will also protect the back three.
As for the midfield unit, Vitaly Janelt will start alongside Mathias Jensen and Frank Onyeka in the middle of the park. They will look to break up opposition attacks and provide physicality and defensive cover in the middle of the park. Bryan Mbeumo will lead the line alongside Ivan Toney.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Flekken; Zanka, Collins, Ajer; Roerslev, Onyeka, Jensen, Janelt, Reguilon; Mbeumo, Toney
Key Stats
- Aston Villa have drawn five of their last six home matches against Brentford in all competitions.
- Brentford have failed to win their last eight matches in the Premier League.
- 20 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two sides.
- Five of the last six meetings between these two sides have seen both teams get on the scoresheet.
- Brentford have conceded 11 goals in their last six outings.
Player to Watch
Olive Watkins
The Aston Villa striker missed out against Manchester City, and he will look to return with a bang. While Unai Emery has not confirmed the Englishman’s absence, he should feature in some capacity, making him a pivotal figure in this match.
Watkins has scored 16 goals and picked up ten assists in 30 league matches this season. He is our key player to watch out for, and he could take advantage of Brentford’s defensive vulnerabilities and pile further misery on his former club.
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-1 Brentford
Aston Villa are the better team here, and they should be able to grind out all three points. The Villans have been inconsistent in their last few outings, but they have the quality to grind out a positive result here.
Brentford are currently devoid a form and confidence, and they will struggle to contain the West Midlands outfit here. A narrow home win for Aston Villa is on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts Unai Emery and his charges to eke out a narrow 2-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday.
