Aston Villa stand on the brink of Champions League football next season as they prepare for their big home game vs Liverpool on Monday night (8pm, Sky Sports).
Unai Emery will hope to field his best lineup despite several injury concerns that have plagued his squad recently.
With the Reds looking to give Jurgen Klopp a winning send-off in the last two games, they’ll be hoping that the midweek Europa Conference League loss for Villa has affected their overall fitness.
ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS AND INJURIES
Youri Tielemans: The Belgian midfielder has missed the last three games due to a groin injury he sustained during the 2-2 draw with Chelsea. Emery described Tielemans as “close” to a return, and he might feature against Liverpool.
Morgan Rogers: The young forward picked up a muscle injury against Brighton last weekend and was unable to recover in time for the Europa Conference League clash against Olympiacos. He remains a doubt for the Liverpool game.
Alex Moreno: The Spanish left-back is dealing with a small knock that sidelined him for the second leg against Olympiacos. Emery hinted that Moreno might be available for the Anfield clash after a few days of recovery.
Nicolo Zaniolo: The Italian forward remains doubtful due to persistent discomfort. Emery indicated that Zaniolo is not yet comfortable with his pain, but hopes for progress in the coming days ahead of the game on Monday.
VILLA PREDICTED LINEUP
Emery is expected to set Villa up something like this:
Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez
Right-back: Matty Cash
Centre-back: Ezri Konsa
Centre-back: Pau Torres
Left-back: Alex Moreno (if fit)
Central Midfield: Douglas Luiz
Central Midfield: Boubacar Kamara
Attacking Midfield: John McGinn
Right Wing: Moussa Diaby
Left Wing: Jacob Ramsey
Striker: Ollie Watkins
FAQ
Q: How has Aston Villa’s form been leading up to the Liverpool match? Aston Villa have had mixed results recently. They were knocked out of the Europa Conference League after losing 6-2 on aggregate to Olympiacos in the semi-finals. However, they remain competitive in the Premier League and are very close to confirming that top-four finish.
Q: What does Aston Villa need to secure a Champions League spot? Villa need three points to guarantee Champions League football next season. That could change though on Saturday, as if Spurs lose to Burnley Villa will be officially IN before they even kick off against Liverpool on Monday night.
Q: Who will Villa need to watch out for from Liverpool? Mohamed Salah remains a primary threat, with his pace and clinical finishing ability. Additionally, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s creativity from deep poses significant danger, while Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez can stretch defences with their movement.
