Liverpool Predicted Lineup VS Aston Villa | Premier League
The Merseyside club welcome the Birmingham club for the final game of Saturday's fixtures in what is set to be a brilliant match between two managers that have started this seasons campaigns fantastically.
Arne Slot has had a historic start to his Liverpool career as Head Coach with sixteen games played, fourteen wins, one loss, and one draw. The best start for any manager in their first season in Premier League history, besting Jose Mourinho and his stint with Chelsea. Liverpool currently are currently boasting a twelve game undefeated streak, and in that period only drawing once and winning eleven games. Their last loss in all competitions was September 14th, against Nottingham Forest who currently sit 3rd in the Premier League table, the real surprise packacge of the season.
Unai Emry has also started very well, in a season where many assumed Aston Villa may struggle with being back in the UEFA Champions League, it has been quite the opposite. Emry's side have only lost one game in their European campaign, their most recent, and before this week sat atop the league table in the competition. Similarly in the Premier League they have only lost one of their last five league games, their most recent. They currently sit in 6th position.
Team News
Liverpool
Liverpool are currently without Alisson Becker(Hamstring), Harvey Elliott(Foot), Diogo Jota(Ribs), and Federico Chiesa(Muscle) for this weekend's fixture.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa are currently without Matty Cash(Calf), and Ross Barkley(Muscle) for this weekend's fixture.
Here's how we see both teams lining up:
Liverpool - (4-2-3-1)
GK: Caoimhin Kelleher - Kelleher has continued his excellent stint of games in the absence of Alisson Becker, with a magnificent double save midweek against Bayer Leverkusen to keep the clean sheet alive, having not had much to do most of the game. He will need to be ready and able for this fixture with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, and Jhon Durán always looking to spoil a clean sheet.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold - Trent has been frustrating the last number of games, while being defensively solid, and some would argue disproving the 'Trent can't defend' morons, his passing, his main strenght one assumes, has been massively below par. Lets hope he can get his offensive game back in tune as he will have Jacob Ramsey to deal with on the defensive side of the ball.
CB: Ibrahima Konaté - Ibou has been having a break-out season, in no small thanks to Arne Slot, who has pulled the best out of the French defender this season. He faced a massive physical test midweek against Victor Boniface, a monster of a human being and Konaté did not seem phased at all. Another physical task this weekend with facing Ollie Watkins.
CB: Virgil van Dijk - Virgil commanded his area spectacularly in the last clash with Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Tasked with commanding his back line against one of the most in form attackers in Europe right now, Florian Wirtz, who was largely nullified for most of the game with little to no impact beyond the first twenty minutes. Expect him to ensure that both Watkins and Rogers are equally quiet this game.
LB: Konstantinos Tsimikas - Kostas is coming off the back of two very solid starts at the left-back position, with Andy Robertson still trying to bring fitness up to first team levels, we would expect to see the Greek Scouser back in the starting line-up again. He is making it harder and harder to drop him with each performance, and until Robbo can regain full fitness, it seems like this is Kostas's position to lose.
CDM - Ryan Gravenberch - One of the best ball carriers and press resistant players in the Premier League at this very moment, Ryan Gravenberch is emerging as not just a flash in the pan, but the real deal. We've just become numb to his performances. If Ryan Gravenberch was a signing from this summer, rather than last, his plaudits would be much larger and a much bigger deal would be made of his performances.
CDM: Curtis Jones - Curtis has been one of the brightest spots among bright spots this season. I have been one of his biggest critics this season. I've been quoted as saying the only reason he is still in the squad for this long, despite no noticeable improvement in his play, is because he is Scouse. How wrong he has proven me this season so far. What is even more shocking, is that in nearly half the amount of minutes Jude Bellingham has, Curtis has nearly double the goal contributions this season. Yes, I had to Google it too, but it's true. And with a fantastic showing midweek I think he deserves another start before heading off to the England camp for his first senior call up. Well deserved.
CAM: Alexis Mac Allister - With Curtis Jones slotting in behind the double pivot it would allow Mac Allister to push forward and use his passing abilities to link our forward up more. Dominik Szoboszlai has been immesne in the press and off ball work, but has been lacking in some link up play between the double pivot and forwards. This could allow us to unlock that last phase of the game even more.
RW: Mohamed Salah - Salah has been lighting the word on fire with his goal scoring and creating so far this season, returning eighteen goal contributions in sixteen games. Salah has been leading our attack along with Luis Diaz who has equal the goals tally. Expect him to have even more influence this weekend.
ST: Darwin Nunez - Darwin has essentially turned himself into Bobby Firminho this season with the returning numbers on how pressing, passing, and link up play, a drastic reversal from what the Uruguayan was last season. His efficiency has gone through the roof in terms of his goal scoring, which may come as a surprise to some, but, his conversion rate this season has more than doubled to 25% when it was just 10.68% last season. Credit to the coaching and system change as it seems to have restrained an controlled the chaos that is Darwin.
LW: Luis Diaz - Lucho, hattrick hero, playing as the No.9 in the game against Leverkusen and bagging himself two goals from that position and his final from the left-wing position. This is possibly the hardest decision to make on the pitch as both Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz could start this game, but, you can't drop the man who just bagged a hattrick in their last game, even with how immensely impressive Cody has been all season.
Aston Villa - (4-4-1-1)
Emiliano Martinez; Ezri Konsa; Diego Carlos; Pau Torres; Lucas Digne; John McGinn; Amadou Onana; Youri Tielemans; Jacob Ramsey; Morgan Rogers; Ollie Watkins
Key Players
Mohamed Salah - 16 Apps, 9 Goals, 9 Assists
Salah has been the focal point of Liverpool's attack this season, with him scoring and assisting for fun this season. Some may say he is on a Ballon D'or charge this year with his production. Expect him to be one of the key contributors to the game tomorrow night with both his chance creation for himself and others, and his ability to pull a goal out of nothing.
Ollie Watkins - 14 Apps, 5 Goals, 3 Assists
While Watkins numbers so far this season don't necessarily tell the full story, he is still one of the best strikers in the Premier League. Coming away with twenty-seven goals and thirteen assists across all competitions last season, the man is a goal scoring machine and can go off at any moment. Both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté will need to be awake and alert to ensure Watkins has a quiet night.
Match Details
Anfield, Liverpool
8pm GMT
Referee: David Coote. Assistants: Timothy Wood, Craig Taylor. Fourth official: Sam Allison. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.
Match Prediction
Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa
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