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Liverpool will aim to continue their winning start to the 2020/21 Premier League season when they take on Aston Villa on Sunday night.
Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool will be in action this Sunday for the last time before the international break when they face Aston Villa in the final match of matchday four at Villa Park.
Villa, who survived relegation by the slightest margin last season, is off to a solid start to his Premier League campaign. Dean Smith’s team has been two wins out of two, first beating Aston Villa 1-0 before following up with a complete 3-0 win over Sheffield United last week.
In fact, in five games in all competitions this season, the Villans have accumulated four victories, losing one. Although, the defeat came in their last match against Stoke City in the Carabao Cup.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have started defending their Premier League crown in style, racking up impressive victories against Leeds United (4-3), Chelsea (2-0) and Arsenal (3-1). Although the Reds lost their last game, a penalty shootout loss to the Gunners in the Carabao Cup, they will remain the favorites heading into Sunday’s game.
The corresponding match last season saw Aston Villa almost achieve an unexpected victory, only two late goals from Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane spoiled the party and secured a 2-1 victory for Liverpool. And before their last meeting at Villa Park, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the two teams.
Team news and tactics
Aston Villa
Jack Grealish will be key for Aston Villa against Liverpool (Photo by Shaun Botterill / Getty Images)
The good news for Aston Villa is that captain and star Jack Grealish is fit and available for the national team, having recovered from a blow. Kortney Hause is a doubt for the game, while Wesley, Tom Heaton, Orjan Nyland and Bjorn Engels are ruled out with injuries.
You can’t look past Emiliano Martinez in goal, with the former Arsenal player making a brilliant impact since joining the club earlier this summer. He will be protected by the central duo of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings.
New signing Matty Cash is the obvious choice on the right back, while Matt Targett should be on the left side. The duo will have their task cut short against Liverpool forwards.
Douglas Luiz will keep the stronghold in the middle, supported by Conor Hourihane and John McGinn, who will be licensed to advance and unite in the attack phases. New signing Ross Barkley, who has come on loan from Chelsea, could get a few minutes off the bench.
Grealish is an undisputed starter on the left flank, while Trezeguet will be on the right. The duo will look to make the most of the spaces left behind by Liverpool’s attacking wings. At the forefront of Aston Villa’s attack will be the arrival of summer, Ollie Watkins.
Probable lineup (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Luiz, Hourihane; Trezeguet, Watkins, Grealish
Liverpool
Liverpool have received a new blow due to the coronavirus as Sadio Mane has tested positive and will miss it. He is the second Reds star to isolate himself after the summer signing of Thiago Alcantara. Captain Jordan Henderson is back in training, but he’s unlikely to return to action on Sunday.
Sadio Mane tested positive for coronavirus (Photo by Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)
Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kostas Tsimikas remain unavailable due to injuries. There will be wholesale changes to the side that started the cup tie midweek, starting from the goal where Alisson Becker is expected to replace Adrian.
The all-star defense duo of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson should return after falling out of the cup tie and will act as key creative outlets going forward. They will flank the first-choice central defensive pairing of Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk.
With Henderson likely to return to the scheme of things, Klopp should revert to the three-man midfield unit of Fabinho, Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum that impressed in the league win against Arsenal last Monday.
Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are chosen in two of three attacking spaces. The third could fall to the summer signing of Diogo Jota, although Takumi Minamino also has a shot, having impressed this season.
Probable lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gómez, van Dijk, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Fabinho, Keita; Wrong, Firmino, Jota
Betting odds
Favorable advice
1. Mohamed Salah will score anytime @ 1.57
The hot ones
1. Full time result: Aston Villa or tie at 2.75
Key stats
- Liverpool have recorded five consecutive Premier League victories against Aston Villa, by an aggregate score of 15-3.
- Villa’s only victory in their last 19 home games in the top flight in this match was in May 2011 (D5, L13). Liverpool have won in their next six visits to the league.
- If they score three points on Sunday, Liverpool could become the first team in top flight history to win each of their first four league games in three consecutive seasons.
- Aston Villa is vying to win three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since April 2010.
- Jurgen Klopp’s team has attempted 61 shots in its three league games this season, 17 more than any other team before the weekend’s games.
Player to watch
Diogo Jota
EACH. SINGLE. ANGLE. 😍
Enjoy @ DiogoJota18Beautiful debut goal … pic.twitter.com/NT58Viw7ep
– Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 28, 2020
Liverpool’s problem entering the new season had been a lack of quality backing for their fantastic trio. And they have been addressing the issue with the signing of Diogo Jota. Having come in on a £ 45m move from Wolves, the Portuguese international has shown glimpses of what he can do, having scored against Arsenal in the league game.
And Sunday could provide a great opportunity for him to prove his worth and value to the team earlier in the season. With Mane out, the 23-year-old is in line to make his first Premier League start with the Reds. And he’ll be shooting to mark it with a winning performance.
Prediction
Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
Both Aston Villa and Liverpool are heading into Sunday’s game after cup losses and will be eager to get back on the winning track. The Villans have been quite impressive this season and having raced close to Liverpool twice last season they are looking forward to another shot with the Premier League champions.
The Reds, however, are much more like themselves after the opening day madness against Leeds United. And while Villa won’t make things easy, Jurgen Klopp & co. he has a lot of quality to get another victory on Sunday.
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