Aston Villa vs Liverpool – News and Probable Lineups

On Friday evening, Villa Park will be the venue for an exciting fixture as Aston Villa host Liverpool in the Premier League, with both teams striving for a place in next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool currently sits fourth in the Premier League standings, just edging out fifth-placed Villa on goal difference, while sixth-placed Bournemouth trails both by four points with two matches remaining.

Match overview

It’s undeniable that Villa’s recent Premier League performance has dipped, likely due to their participation in the Europa League. However, their efforts have paid off, as Unai Emery’s squad has secured a spot in the final of the European tournament, thanks to a 4-1 aggregate victory over Nottingham Forest.

In their last three league outings, Villa has managed to secure just one point, having drawn 2-2 with Burnley after suffering consecutive defeats against Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite this, Emery’s team is fifth in the rankings, maintaining a four-point cushion over sixth-placed Bournemouth, so they have a chance to clinch Champions League qualification through their league standing in this match week.

Additionally, Villa has another opportunity through the Europa League; a victory over Freiburg in the final on May 20 would guarantee their return to the Champions League for the 2026-27 season.

However, the historical record isn’t favorable for Villa, having only one victory from their last 16 league confrontations against Liverpool – a memorable 7-2 triumph at Villa Park in October 2020.

Liverpool, on the other hand, heads into this match following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea, marking another lackluster display from the reigning Premier League champions, who have struggled for consistency this season.

The Reds’ last away match ended in a 3-2 loss at Old Trafford on May 3 against Manchester United, although they are close to confirming their Champions League qualification for the upcoming season.

Additionally, Liverpool still holds the possibility of finishing third, but Arne Slot’s team must win their final two league matches and rely on Manchester United dropping points in both of theirs, including a necessary change in goal difference.

It seems that Slot is likely to remain at Anfield despite the team’s challenges this season, and Liverpool will be eager to secure a Champions League spot before their last match of the season at home against Brentford, which promises to be a challenging encounter.

This season, Liverpool has recorded only the ninth-best away performance in the Premier League, dropping eight of their 18 away fixtures, indicating substantial improvement is needed next season if they aim to seriously contend for the Premier League title.

Aston Villa Premier League form:

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Aston Villa form (all competitions):

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Liverpool Premier League form:

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Liverpool form (all competitions):

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Team News

For the fixture against Liverpool, Villa will again be without Boubacar Kamara (knee), Alysson (groin), and Amadou Onana (calf), but otherwise, the home side is in good condition for the match.

Emiliano Buendia, who has scored twice in his last three outings, is anticipated to return to the starting XI after appearing as a substitute against Burnley last time out.

Ollie Watkins has been involved in 12 goals throughout his last 13 matches for Villa, netting nine times, so the England international is expected to lead the attack again.

On the Liverpool side, Conor Bradley (knee), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Giovanni Leoni (knee), and Wataru Endo (foot) are all ruled out for the clash on Friday night.

Moreover, Ibrahima Konate (thigh), Alisson (fitness), Mohamed Salah (thigh), and Florian Wirtz (illness) will need evaluation before decisions regarding their participation can be finalized.

Alexander Isak made a return from injury, coming off the bench against Chelsea, and the Swedish international could potentially be reinstated to the starting lineup against Villa.

Aston Villa probable starting XI:

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Lindelof, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins

Liverpool probable starting XI:

Mamardashvili; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isaac

Currently, neither side can be fully trusted, as three of their last six encounters have ended in draws, leading us to anticipate a low-scoring stalemate on Friday night.