journey to for a midweek conflict figuring out {that a} week would lengthen their lead within the title race to 10 factors.
’s aspect enter a vital week with a seven-point lead over Arsenal in second place, however at Manchester Metropolis on Sunday and at dwelling to Newcastle United subsequent week. Nevertheless, the Reds – who held out for a nervy 2-1 win over a resolute Wolves aspect on Sunday – will know that may be an enormous step in direction of the title in Slot’s first season in cost.
’s males, in the meantime, are chasing the European spots. Villa are already by the last-16 of the this season and can wish to assure one other marketing campaign subsequent yr. They’re ninth within the Premier League and may leap as much as seventh with a win at Villa Park.
Comply with all of the Premier League motion with our dwell weblog beneath:
Aston Villa vs Liverpool LIVE
Aston Villa host Liverpool within the Premier League with kick off at 7.30pm
Villa in search of to get again to profitable methods after 1-1 draw with Ipswich
Reds can lengthen Premier League result in 10 factors with victory
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Garcia, Disasi, Mings, Digne, Asensio, Tielemans, McGinn, Rashford, Rogers; Watkins.
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai, Jota, Salah
Liverpool make one change as Curtis Jones replaces Luis Diaz in line-up
Marcus Rashford makes first Aston Villa begin, alongisde Marco Asensio
Aston Villa FC – Liverpool FC
Liverpool workforce information – no Luis Diaz or Darwin Nunez in XI
18:25 , Jamie Braidwood
An attention-grabbing line-up from Liverpool, with Luis Diaz on the bench regardless of the harm to Cody Gakpo. Curtis Jones returns from suspension, however Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai all hold their locations from the weekend.
So who’s enjoying left wing? It’s trying like Szoboszlai, however it’s an attention-grabbing change from Arne Slot, with Diaz and Darwin Nunez on the bench.
Aston Villa workforce information – Marcus Rashford begins
18:23 , Jamie Braidwood
Marcus Rashford makes his first begin for Aston Villa following appearances off the bench towards Tottenham and Ipswich, with the on-loan Manchester United ahead lining up towards rivals Liverpool.
Former Actual Madrid ahead Marco Asensio additionally begins towards Liverpool, coming right into a midfield that features John McGinn and Youri Tielemans. Rashford joins Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers in an all-English assault.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool confirmed line-ups
18:19 , Jamie Braidwood
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Garcia, Disasi, Mings, Digne, Asensio, Tielemans, McGinn, Rashford, Rogers; Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Zych, Money, Bogarde, Maatsen, Malen, Ramsey; Jimoh-Aloba.
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai, Jota, Salah
Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Díaz, Núñez, Chiesa, Elliott, Tsimikas, Quansah, Bradley.
Reminder of the early workforce information
18:09 , Jamie Braidwood
We’ll have the line-ups from Villa Park within the subsequent jiffy, right here’s a reminder of the early workforce information:
Unai Emery has another new harm concern, with Boubacar Kamara compelled off simply 16 minutes into the draw with Ipswich on the weekend. He’ll possible face a late health take a look at.
Ezri Konsa is unlikely to be again in time to face Liverpool, whereas Pau Torres and Matty Money stay sidelined in defence and Amadou Onana remains to be a while away from a return. Ollie Watkins ought to be match to start out once more, whereas Leon Bailey may return to the squad.
Cody Gakpo won’t characteristic however is nearing a return after lacking the win over Wolves resulting from a knock, however Curtis Jones returns to the squad after serving his suspension. Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton stay sidelined.
Aston Villa’s Champions League push
18:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Tonight just isn’t solely an enormous recreation for Liverpool however for Aston Villa as nicely. Unai Emery’s aspect will uncover who they are going to face within the Champions League last-16 in Friday’s knockout stage draw, however they are going to wish to qualify for subsequent season’s competitors as nicely.
Villa are winless of their final 4 Premier League video games, by, with Saturday’s 1-1 draw at dwelling to 10-man Ipswich leaving them ninth within the desk and nearer to the underside half than the top-four. Even when they beat Liverpool tonight, they might solely go above Fulham into eighth, which exhibits the size of their problem.
In the intervening time, Manchester Metropolis and Bournemouth occupy the ultimate Champions League spots (assuming it goes all the way down to fifth place). Villa are solely 5 factors behind the Cherries, however they’ve additionally received Chelsea – who they host on Saturday – and Newcastle of their method.
The uncommon Arne Slot trait that might resolve Liverpool’s title cost
17:40 , Richard Jolly
The enterprise finish of a season isn’t all the time the purpose to parade your ideas. Arne Slot has attacking beliefs, however a passion for profitable can override idealism. “Generally as a supervisor you must be pragmatic as nicely and perceive it’s perhaps not our recreation when it comes to soccer, [so] then we as a training workers must be able to make selections that assist the workforce in these moments,” he rationalised.
The defining theme of Slot’s administration at Anfield has not been a 4-2-3-1 formation and even the similarities and variations with Jurgen Klopp’s techniques. It has been wonderful decision-making.
Arne Slot leaning on expertise of Liverpool’s title winners
17:10 , Jamie Braidwood
As Liverpool enter a vital stage of the season, Arne Slot says he’ll lean on the expertise of gamers like Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson to steer the squad in direction of a second title in 5 years.
The final time Liverpool had a 10-point lead within the title race was after they received the Premier League in 2019-20, and whereas Slot had title profitable expertise himself with Feyenoord he says he desires his Premier League champions to assist the workforce in powerful moments.
“So those that received the league right here already that was in [Covid] with followers not being within the stadium and at a sure level they have been 25 factors up so you may hardly speak about stress then,” Slot mentioned.
“Though I’m the kind of supervisor that if there are 10 video games to be performed and I am 25 factors up I nonetheless really feel like ‘oh, we have now to win’ however there was hardly any stress then.
“However we do lean on the gamers as a result of they’ve to point out up and produce the performances in however not within the method the place at present or tomorrow they current a gathering on the best way to cope with the stress, that is not the way it works.”
Why was Aston Villa vs Liverpool rearranged?
16:40 , Jamie Braidwood
Aston Villa have been initially scheduled to host Liverpool within the early Saturday kick-off on 15 March, however that was rearranged after the Reds reached the Carabao Cup closing (to be performed towards Newcastle on 16 March).
The rearranged recreation means Villa play Liverpool tonight, Chelsea on Saturday evening, Crystal Palace subsequent Tuesday and Cardiff within the FA Cup on Friday February 28 earlier than heading into the Champions League the next week. That’s 5 video games in 14 days.
Liverpool, in the meantime, play Manchester Metropolis on Sunday, Newcastle subsequent Wednesday after which have the weekend off after being knocked out of the FA Cup, however they too can have Champions League soccer to organize for the next week.
Unai Emery says go to of Liverpool ‘most tough’ recreation of the season
16:10 , Jamie Braidwood
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery mentioned his aspect’s rearranged fixture with Premier League leaders Liverpool is their “most tough match” they’ve left this season.
Emery’s workforce have crushed Bayern Munich and Manchester Metropolis at dwelling this season, whereas drawing with Juventus – however leaders Liverpool are unbeaten away from dwelling within the league.
“That is essentially the most tough match we’ll play within the final weeks or months of the season,” Emery mentioned. “We’re excited with who we are going to face tomorrow. Liverpool are the perfect workforce within the Premier League and Europe.
“Our problem is how we face them and reply with our qualities and the way we play at this stage. We’re excited and hopefully we are able to share our excited moments with our followers at Villa Park.”
Arne Slot on Liverpool workforce information
15:10 , Jamie Braidwood
Liverpool boss Arne Slot on Liverpool workforce information and updates on Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez:
“Each are unavailable. Cody is the nearer to being again however Joe will take fairly a very long time. He’s going to be out for quite a few weeks due to a hamstring harm.
“It’s a giant blow for Joe and for us. He tries to do every little thing to be with the workforce. He works actually laborious to come back again after which the primary recreation when he got here again after two or three minutes we noticed him making a dash and now he’s out for weeks once more.
“In order that’s all the time very laborious for a participant in each a part of the season, not to mention part of the season everyone seems to be trying ahead to.”
What’s the workforce information?
15:03 , Jamie Braidwood
Villa boss Unai Emery has another new harm concern, with Boubacar Kamara compelled off simply 16 minutes into the draw with Ipswich on the weekend. He’ll possible face a late health take a look at.
Ezri Konsa is unlikely to be again in time to face Liverpool, whereas Pau Torres and Matty Money stay sidelined in defence and Amadou Onana remains to be a while away from a return. Ollie Watkins ought to be match to start out once more, whereas Leon Bailey may return to the squad.
Cody Gakpo won’t characteristic however is nearing a return after lacking the win over Wolves resulting from a knock, however Curtis Jones returns after serving his suspension. Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton stay sidelined.
When is Aston Villa vs Liverpool?
15:01 , Jamie Braidwood
The match kicks off at 7.30pm GMT on Wednesday, 19 February at Villa Park.
How can I watch the match?
The match will likely be proven dwell within the UK on TNT Sports activities 2, with protection beginning at 6.30pm. Subscribers can even watch on-line through discovery+.
Good afternoon
15:00 , Jamie Braidwood
It’s a giant night within the Premier League title race as Aston Villa host Liverpool, with the guests trying to go 10 factors clear on the high of the Premier League.
With no different sides in motion in midweek, the Reds may take a 10-point lead into the weekend with simply 12 video games left to play, having squeezed previous Wolves of their final outing.
They usually face a Villa aspect who’ve been on a combined run of kind in current weeks, with the weekend’s draw towards 10-man Ipswich that means that the Villains are again in eighth, six factors behind the Champions League locations.
Unai Emery on Aston VIlla’s workforce information
15:20 , Jamie Braidwood
“Kamara is out and Bailey near being with us once more, I do not know tomorrow, he is a doubt.
“Matty Money and (Ezri) Konsa are near being with us. Tomorrow morning I’ll resolve which gamers are prepared for tomorrow.”