Aston Villa face Tottenham in a big clash at the top of the Premier League.placeholder image
Aston Villa face Tottenham in a big clash at the top of the Premier League. | Getty Images/ Canva
How Aston Villa could lineup against Tottenham this weekend
After a four-game winless streak at the start of the campaign, Aston Villa are starting to look like their normal selves once again after recording successive wins over Burnley and Fulham at Villa Park.
And the West Midlands side are now seeking their first away victory of the season against high-flying Tottenham in a huge match which promises to have big implications on the race for European qualification.
Aston Villa finished 12 places and 28 points ahead of the Lillywhites last season, yet remarkably find themselves playing in a lower European position after ex-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou delivered on his promise of delivering the club a major trophy in his penultimate game in charge.
Now managed by Thomas Frank, it’s fair to say that Tottenham look a completely different animal to the team they were last season. As it stands, they’ve won four, drawn two and lost one of their opening seven games, leaving them in a commanding position to once again secure Champions League qualification.
Aston Villa, who only missed out on qualification for Europe’s elite competition on goal difference, know that a victory in the capital would send out a signal of intent to their supporters and show them that the good times under Emery are far from over.
As a former Arsenal boss Emery is likely to get a cold reception from the Tottenham faithful in the capital. But how will he set up his team in North London? Here we predict Aston Villa’s starting lineup for their trip to face Tottenham.
Aston Villa predicted line-up: goalkeeper and defence
GK: Emiliano Martínez: Argentine international Emiliano Martinez remains the undisputed first choice at Villa Park despite a dip in form. He’s managed just one clean sheet in the league this season and will hope to improve on that record in this weekend’s match in the capital.
RB: Matty Cash: Polish international Matty Cash has played in the majority of the games since Unai Emery’s arrival and faces little competition at present. He’s expected to retain his spot and will hope to nullify the threat of some of Tottenham's flair players.
CB: Ezri Konsa: England international Ezri Konsa remains one of the most important players in Aston Villa’s backline. He faces a key season in his career as he looks to secure his place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad next summer.
CB: Pau Torres: The Spaniard replaced Tyrone Mings in the lineup and did a steady enough job as Aston Villa defeated Burnley.
LB: Lucas Digne: Frenchman Lucas Digne currently finds himself ahead of Ian Maatsen in the pecking order and is expected to start ahead of the young Dutchman due to his vast experience as he faces off against in-form winger Mohammed Kudus.
Aston Villa predicted line-up: midfield and attack
CM: Boubacar Kamara: When fully fit Boubacar Kamara is one of the most important midfielders at Aston Villa and he’s excellent at reading the game and has picked up assists in both of his last two starts.
CM: Amadou Onana: Belgian international Amadou Onana replaces Lamare Bogarde in the heart of midfield. He’s recently returned from injury and appeared as a substitute against Burnley.
CAM: Harvey Elliott: England Under-21 Player of the Tournament, Harvey Elliott is still yet to win the trust of Unai Emery but has the ability to make a real positive impact on this contest.
He’s had time to learn Emery’s methods over the international break and could be handed a start to add further creativity to Villa’s team. He replaces John McGinn, who failed to impress for Scotland in a laboured performance against Belarus. It would be a shock call but one Emery could be more than tempted to make.
CAM: Morgan Rogers: England fans saw a glimpse of Morgan Rogers at his best against Wales while his recent assists against Fulham and Burnley suggest he’s starting to rediscover his best form.
ST: Ollie Watkins: Aston Villa’s all-time leading scorer of the Premier League era and a constant threat when at his best. Ollie Watkins is likely to lead the line although there are some doubts over his fitness after missing the match with Latvia.
ST: Donyell Malen: Netherlands international Donyell Malen is yet to produce his best form in an Aston Villa shirt. However, recent signs suggest he’s getting closer to doing just that. He scored twice in a rare start against Burnley before the international break and also scored for Netherlands against Finland in a 4-0 win.
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