Key events
Mike Keeling gets in touch: “Not to underestimate Villa, I hope, (obviously about to underestimate Villa) but seeing their team sheet it’s not even a work in progress so much as still in the design stage. Plus, you know, Mings. Feeling more confident of a reds victory!”
Peter Oh emails: “Rashford v Alexander-Arnold – aka the striker who can’t score versus the wing back who can’t defend, according to rabid armchair warriors – is a matchup likely to make heads explode today.”
I think it will be a fun battle, that’s for sure.
A bad start to the night for Liverpool.
Arne Slot on Aston Villa’s forward line: “We faced that against Wolves and we are facing that tonight, again, with some great individual players.
“It is an evening game at Villa Park which is a difficult one and the only thing we need to do is compete and bring our level too.
“These are two teams with a lot of threat so there needs to be a lot of work rate too, to make sure the other team doesn’t score.”
Tactical genius Joe Pearson emails: “I am no tactical genius, but I think Liverpool might go with a 4-3-3, with Szoboszlai as part of the midfield, then have a front three of Jones, Jota, and Salah. But what do I know?”
The suggestion from my close friends TNT is that Jones will play on the left, so I will go with them.
I am not 100% sure how Liverpool will line up in attack. I am working on the assumption that Szoboszlai will be behind Jota and Salah. Naturally, I suspect I will be very wrong.
Some pre-match Slot.
We have first starts for Asensio and little-known loanee Marcus Rashford tonight for Villa. I was at Villa Park on Saturday for the draw against Ipswich. The forward looks pretty lively on the left wing and caused plenty of problems. I am sure he will enjoy the challenge of facing Alexander-Arnold.
Starting lineups
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Garcia, Disasi, Mings, Digne; Tielemans, McGinn; Asensio, Rogers, Rashford, Watkins
Subs: Olsen, zych, Cash, Bogarde, Maatsen, Malen, Ramsey, Jimoh-Aloba
Liverpool (4-3-1-2): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones; Szoboszlai; Salah, Jota
Subs: Kellender, Endo, Diaz, Nunez, Chiesa, Elliott, Tsimikas, Quansah, Bradley
Pre-match reading.
Ben Fisher on Aston Villa’s Premier League malaise.
Preamble
What a lovely bit of midweek Premier League frivolity we have ahead of us. There might be some Champions League action going on but if you BACK BRITAIN, then Villa Park is the place for you.
Stumbling Aston Villa, who sit ninth, are playing host to table-topplers Liverpool in a game rearranged as Arne Slot is off to Wembley in a few weeks for the Carabao Cup final. Villa only managed a draw with 10-man Ipswich at the weekend and have looked off colour for quite a long time, something that can be blamed on their ill-judged decision to qualify for the Champions League. It might not be continental action but these feels like a significant night for the two teams.
Liverpool might be seven points clear of second-placed Arsenal but their recent performances have underwhelmed. They were knocked out of the FA Cup by Plymouth, drew with Everton and bungled their way past Wolves at the weekend. With a trip to Manchester City at the weekend, Liverpool need to get back on smooth road and a win at Villa Park could just do that.
Kick-off: 7.30pm GMT.