Aston Villa meet Liverpool in a Premier League clash as both clubs seek to secure a top-five finish.
Victory would see Villa leapfrog Liverpool into fourth and secure Champions League qualification for next season, whilst Liverpool will remain fourth with a win and secure their Champions League spot.
A draw though would see both teams have to hope that Manchester City beat Bournemouth on Tuesday 19 May in order to avoid any final-day tension.
Team News
Villa have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 2-2 draw at Burnley.
Alysson (muscle), Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara (both knee) remain absent.
Liverpool could be without Florian Wirtz due to a stomach infection, although he is currently on antibiotics.
Alisson, Mohamed Salah (both muscle) and Ibrahima Konate (cramp) are available for selection.
Conor Bradley (knee), Wataru Endo (ankle), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Villa host Liverpool at Villa Park on Friday 15 May at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League channels in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Villa are winless in their last 10 league meetings against Liverpool (D3, L7).
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last four league visits to Villa (W2, D2).
- Youri Tielemans has scored in both of his last two home appearances for Villa against Liverpool (D2).
- Villa’s Ollie Watkins has scored three goals in his last two top-flight starts at home, which saw the Villains win 2-0 against West Ham in March then 4-3 against Sunderland in April.
- Liverpool have won just one of their last four top-flight away matches (W1, L3).
Prediction
With sixth-placed Bournemouth now four points behind both Villa and Liverpool and not in action until Tuesday evening, this is a huge chance for both of the latter clubs to definitively secure their Champions League spot with a game and leave the other hoping Bournemouth don’t win their penultimate game.
Villa however need to stay focused on this task and not let thoughts about their Europa League Final against SC Freiburg next Wednesday affect them, as this is a huge chance to take the pressure off them for their final-day trip to Manchester City.
Liverpool meanwhile have to be more clinical than they were in their 1-1 draw against Chelsea because they dominated the early phase, yet allowed the Blues to equalise from poor defending of a free kick and just lacked the edge thereafter to snatch the win.
The Reds’ away form lately has also been poor and despite their strong form at Villa Park in recent seasons, I do think that they will have to settle for a point here, which would leave both needing Man City to beat Bournemouth to avoid a tense final day.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Liverpool
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