Aston Villa welcome Liverpool to Villa Park in Sunday Night Football to bring Super Sunday to its conclusion ahead of the international break.
A win for Villa could see them climb up to third and displace Liverpool, of whom can climb as high as first with victory and a defeat for Leicester earlier in day.
Team News
Jack Grealish is a doubt for Villa after suffering a calf injury which saw him miss their Carabao Cup exit to Stoke on Thursday.
Kortney Hause (knock) is also doubtful but Orjan Nyland (back) is out alongside Bjorn Engels (Achilles), Tom Heaton and Wesley (both knee).
Liverpool could welcome Jordan Henderson back from a thigh injury after Jurgen Klopp opted not to risk the Reds’ captain in Thursday’s Carabao Cup exit to Arsenal on penalties.
Konstantinos Tsimikas (thigh), Joel Matip (muscle), Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara (both Coronavirus) are expected to return after the international break, whilst Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains out with a knee injury.
Stat Attack
- Villa are winless in their last five league meetings against Liverpool (L5).
- Liverpool have lost just one of their last 19 league trips to Villa Park (W13, D5, L1)
- Both teams have had two players sent off in 50 previous Premier League meetings.
- No goalkeeper has made more high claims than Villa’s Emiliano Martinez who has made three high claims in just two appearances so far this season.
- Mohamed Salah has produced a current league-high 17 shots in Liverpool’s three opening league matches of season.
Prediction
Aston Villa have made a strong start to the campaign but this is a tough test because Villa’s defence have so far been solid whilst their attacking threat has been boosted with new signings in Ollie Watkins and Bertrand Traore both impressing.
Liverpool however can’t be written off as Arsenal have already found out to their cost after the Reds fought back from a goal down to win their clash last weekend, because Jurgen Klopp’s men are so organised with their defence pushing forward when needed.
I therefore am expecting a tough competitive clash here but Liverpool should have enough to claim the win.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
Result: Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool