Aston Villa will host Liverpool at Villa Park on Monday, lookinh to continue their push for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Unai Emery’s men are currently fourth in the Premier League table, and they cannot afford any slip-ups if they want to compete in the UEFA Champions League next season. The clash against Liverpool is a must-win contest for Aston Villa, they will be eager to beat the inconsistent Reds here.
Aston Villa are coming into this game on the back of three consecutive defeats in all competitions. The home fans will demand a strong reaction from the players, and it remains to be seen whether they can bounce back strongly.
Meanwhile, Liverpool picked up an impressive win over Tottenham in the last game, and they are third in the standings. The Reds have already qualified for the UEFA Champions League, and they have nothing to play for.
It remains to be seen whether they can gather enough motivation to put on a strong performance here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
Emiliano Buendia, Boubacar Kamara, and Tyrone Mings are ruled out for the remainder of the season. Jacob Ramsey is sidelined with a toe problem, whereas Youri Tielemans has a muscle injury.
Aston Villa are likely to shape up in a 4-4-2 formation against Liverpool, with Emiliano Martinez in goal. Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne will start as the full-backs. They will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. At the heart of the defence, Diego Carlos and Pau Torres will look to add defensive cover to the side.
Matty Cash and Leon Bailey will start in the wide areas, and they will aim to protect the full-backs and help out during counter-attacking opportunities. Meanwhile, Douglas Luiz should pair up with John McGinn in the middle of the park.
The Brazilian international will look to break up opposition attacks and shield the defensive unit, while the Scottish midfielder will add drive to the midfield. Finally, Ollie Watkins will lead the line for Aston Villa alongside Moussa Diaby.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Cash, Luiz, McGinn, Bailey; Diaby; Watkins
Liverpool
Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara are out for the season. Diogo Jota is sidelined with a muscle injury. Liverpool will shape up in a 4-3-3 formation against Aston Villa, with Alisson Becker in goal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will start as the full-backs, and they will look to help out in the attack and provide defensive cover as well. Ibrahima Konate will start alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence.
In the middle of the park, Wataru Endo will start as the defensive midfielder, and he will look to break up opposition attacks. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister will look to add creativity and control on either side of him.
Finally, Darwin Nunez will lead the line for Liverpool against Aston Villa with Mohamed Salah on his right and Luis Diaz on the left. So, Cody Gakpo will be on option on the bench for Jurgen Klopp.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Endo, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Key Stats
- Aston Villa have seen over 2.5 goals in their last eight home matches against Liverpool in all competitions.
- Liverpool are undefeated in 26 of their last 29 matches in Premier League.
- Liverpool have won six of their last seven matches against Aston Villa across all competitions.
- 16 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two sides.
- Mohamed Salah has scored seven goals in nine starts against Aston Villa in all competitions
Player to Watch
Ollie Watkins
The Aston Villa striker has been in phenomenal form this season, scoring 19 goals and picking up 12 assists in 35 league matches. Aston Villa will need him to step up and deliver if they want to win the game here. Liverpool have looked quite vulnerable defensively this season, and Watkins has the quality to exploit the gaps at the back and punish the Reds’ defence.
Meanwhile, the Englishman needs one league goal to become the first Aston Villa player to score 20 in a top-flight season since Peter Withe in 1980-81. Watkins is our key play to watch out for, and it remains to be seen whether he can help his team grind out all three points.
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool
Aston Villa are a quality team despite their recent performances, and they will look to make life difficult for Liverpool here. The away side do not have a lot to play for, but they will want to give Jurgen Klopp the send-off he deserves and finish the season strongly.
Monday’s match is likely to be a close contest. Neither side are defensive in their approach, and a high-scoring contest would be on the card. However, the two sides could end up cancelling each other out in a draw. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 stalemate for Monday’s game.