Aston Villa host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday night, and here’s how Unai Emery’s starting line-up could look for the encounter.
It’s been a disappointing start to the campaign from Villa as after holding out for a draw against Newcastle United at home, we suffered defeat on the road at Brentford last weekend.
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In turn, a positive response is expected this weekend to kick-start our season and avoid further frustration ahead of the international break, but it will be a difficult challenge against Oliver Glasner’s side, against whom we’ve struggled in recent times.
That emphasises the importance of getting our starting line-up right, as we have to find the right balance between nullifying their potent threat, while also being positive enough in our own approach to take the game to them and finally find the back of the net after consecutive blanks.
Konsa boost, Maatsen and Malen to start?
Emiliano Martinez will continue between the posts, but there will likely be a change in his backline with Ezri Konsa returning from suspension.
He could replace Pau Torres and partner Tyrone Mings as the latter gives us physicality and an aerial presence up against Jean-Philippe Mateta, but given we’re at home and looking to get on the front-foot, Pau’s distribution from defence could be a key influence.
It seems more probable that Mings will get the nod though, and while Matty Cash will continue on the right side of the back-four, we could see Ian Maatsen come in to replace Lucas Digne on the opposite side in order to give us more energy, width and attacking threat down the left flank.
Both Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana are ruled out due to injury, and so Villa skipper John McGinn could drop back to partner Youri Tielemans in our midfield pivot, although Emery could go with Lamare Bogarde if he prefers to keep McGinn further up the pitch. It’s hoped that the Villa boss opts for the former option.
Should that prove to be the case, that opens up a couple of spots in the attacking third, and while Morgan Rogers could shift across to the left flank for this one, both Donyell Malen and Emiliano Buendia will be itching to get a starting spot to make their presence felt in a more meaningful run-out.
Summer signing Evann Guessand will be in contention too, but perhaps given his lack of playing time thus far and the more prominent roles that both Malen and Buendia had over pre-season, he’s likely to continue to be slowly integrated into the side, while Ross Barkley is still working his way back from an injury, and so he won’t be match fit to feature from the start either.
There could be some differences with this possible Villa XI compared to the one announced on Sunday evening, but whoever starts, they must be ready to put in a big shift for the team and help us get three important points on the board to get our season up and running.
Thoughts on the potential Villa line-up below? Any changes?
Predicted Aston Villa XI vs Crystal Palace: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Malen, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins.
PREDICTED VILLA XI vs CRYSTAL PALACE
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