Liverpool and Aston Villa will meet in an enticing Premier League clash at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
There is a strong sense of confidence on Merseyside as Jurgen Klopp’s team enters the match on the back of two consecutive comeback victories against Bournemouth and Newcastle United.
In their first home league game of the season, despite being reduced to ten players, Liverpool managed to overturn an early deficit and secure a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, preserving their reputation of being formidable at Anfield.
The Reds continued their strong form last weekend by defeating Newcastle 2-1, even though they were trailing 1-0 at half-time and had Virgil van Dijk sent off in the first half.
Must Read: Liverpool vs Aston Villa – Liverpool’s Predicted Lineup – PL 22-23
Darwin Nunez, who had faced heavy criticism, played a pivotal role by coming off the bench and single-handedly turning the game around with two quick goals after the 80th minute.
We’re live as Jürgen Klopp previews Sunday’s @premierleague fixture with Aston Villa 🎙️#LIVAVL https://t.co/1iQJUJCcr2
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 1, 2023
Liverpool’s series of morale-boosting results sets them up nicely for this exciting match against Aston Villa, who are currently performing well.
Since their disappointing 5-1 loss to Newcastle on the opening weekend, Unai Emery’s team has found their stride, winning four consecutive games in all competitions.
This includes a 4-0 victory over Everton, a 3-1 win against Burnley, and securing a place in the group stage of the Europa Conference League.
A dominant Villa team easily defeated Hibernian in a qualification play-off match. The away side scored eight goals without a response from Hibernian in this one-sided contest.
Liverpool vs. Aston Villa: Form Guide
Liverpool’s recent victories over Bournemouth and Newcastle demonstrate their ability to handle challenging situations, as they are now unbeaten in seven consecutive league games when playing with one player down (with 5 wins and 2 draws).
Klopp’s 300th game in charge of Liverpool will take place at Anfield, where his team hasn’t lost in any of their 11 Premier League matches this year, with 8 wins and 3 draws.
Historically, Anfield has been a fortress for Liverpool against Aston Villa, as they have recorded 4 wins and 1 draw in their last five top-flight meetings since a 1-0 loss in 2014.
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Maintaining their strong home form is crucial if Liverpool aims to meet expectations in the 2023-24 season and improve upon last season’s fifth-place finish.
It’s been nearly a decade since Villa last won at Anfield, but with their recent ability to score at least three goals in their last four competitive matches, they may believe it’s time for a change.
Emery has transformed Villa into one of the Premier League’s best-performing away teams since joining in November 2022, with seven away victories under his leadership, which is the third-highest in the league during that time.
However, Emery has struggled at Anfield, losing four of his previous five managerial visits to the venue, with one draw.
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If Villa hopes to exceed last season’s seventh-place finish, this match represents an opportunity to showcase their top-six credentials.
Liverpool vs. Aston Villa: Team News
While the Premier League rescinded Alexis Mac Allister’s red card against Bournemouth, Virgil van Dijk won’t have the same fortune, meaning Liverpool will be without him in defence for this weekend’s game.
The boss gave an update on the fitness of Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara in this morning's #LIVAVL press conference 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Trrxwm1PYt
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 1, 2023
Van Dijk’s suspension, along with Ibrahima Konate’s minor fitness issues, poses a significant selection challenge for Klopp.
On the other hand, Emery is dealing with his own selection problems, as Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Leander Dendoncker, Kortney Hause, Jacob Ramsey, and Philippe Coutinho are all struggling with injuries.
Liverpool vs. Aston Villa: Potential starting lineup
Liverpool:
Formation: 4-3-3
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Defenders: Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Joel Matip, Robertson
Midfielders: Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai
Forwards: Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz
Our Final Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Aston Villa
Without Van Dijk, Liverpool’s defence may be more susceptible, but their attacking strength should be sufficient to make up for any possible defensive shortcomings.
Villa could score a goal but will face it difficult to stop the home side’s attacking threat.
