Aston Villa will aim to get back to winning ways when they host Maccabi Tel Aviv in a UEFA Europa League tie that could prove controversial.
Villa Park will play host to a controversial fixture in the Europa League as Maccabi Tel Aviv come visiting to take on Aston Villa. The game could be marred with political controversy owing to the widespread protest against Israel. There will be 700 policemen, as per multiple reports, to thwart any complications, as multiple protest groups will make their voices heard.
Back to the football, and Aston Villa are eager to get back to winning ways after a setback on Matchday 3. Unai Emery’s men won their first two games after beating Bologna and Feyenoord but suffered a setback with a loss to Go Ahead Eagles.
After that, the Birmingham-based side bounced back with a stellar win over Manchester City. However, at the weekend they lost out to Liverpool away from home. Emery will want to bring in the home support for this game against Maccabi Tel Aviv and get another win on board to keep marching towards a top-eight finish in the Europa League this season.
Meanwhile, Zarko Lazetic’s side are one of seven teams in the Europa League without a win in the competition, and Maccabi Tel Aviv will be desperate to get that on priority. The Israeli outfit opened their account in the competition with a goalless draw in Greece against PAOK but have since lost back-to-back fixtures, to Dinamo Zagreb and FC Midtjylland, with the latter managing a 3-0 win.
Maccabi Tel Aviv also do not have the best of records against English opposition in the past, but more importantly, their manager would want to end their 100 per cent losing streak against English sides. However, the upcoming fixture against Aston Villa will be a stern test of character for the Israeli side, as they enter this game as the underdogs.
Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
Unai Emery suffered a big blow with the serious hamstring injury suffered by Tyrone Mings, which could keep the veteran centre-back out for the rest of the calendar year. The Englishman joins Emiliano Buendia, Youri Tielemans, Andres Garcia, and Ross Barkley in the treatment room.
Hence, Victor Lindelof is in contention for a role in the backline, and he could play alongside Pau Torres in the central defensive partnership. Matty Cash is expected to start at right-back, while Ian Maatsen could be preferred to Lucas Digne at left-back.
As for the midifeld unit, Emery could potentially select Lamare Bogarde for a role in the middle of hte park, but he might continue to prefer the partnership of Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara there.
Emery could make some changes to the offensive unit, as Jadon Sancho and Donyell Malen could come in the wide roles, with Harvey Elliott in the attacking midfield zone. Finally, Ollie Watkins will continue to lead the line for Aston Villa against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Kamara; Sancho, Elliott, Malen; Watkins
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv will be eager to field a strong lineup to face Aston Villa, and Zarko Lazetic will once again rely on skipper Dor Peretz to provide the goods. The captain is also the team’s top scorer with eight goals across all competitions, and he could start another game in the centre-forward role.
The 30-year-old could be playing in a front two, depending on whether his manager decides on a 3-5-2 system or a back four. Ideally, Lazetic might prefer a back four, with Peretz likely to lead the line in a solitary role with the support of wingers Osher Davida and Helio Varela.
In midfield, Kristijan Belic and Issouf Sissokho will be preferred in the double pivot, while Tyrese Asante and Roy Revivo will play in the backline for Maccabi Tel Aviv against Aston Villa on Thursday night.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Mishpati; Asante, Shlomo, Camara, Revivo; Belic, Sissokho; Davida, Andrade, Varela; Peretz
Key Stats
Aston Villa have won six of their last eight games across all competitions.
Aston Villa have lost only one of their last 27 games on home soil across all competitions.
Maccabi Tel Aviv have lost all their matches to English opposition so far.
Maccabi Tel Aviv are one of the seven teams so far in the Europa League this season without a win.
Only Celtic’s Sebastian Tounekti (21) has had more touches in the opposition box in the UEFA Europa League this season than Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand (19), who netted the opener in the 2-1 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles on Matchday 3.
Player to Watch
Ollie Watkins
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Aston Villa might be in a resurgent vein of form, winning six of their last eight games across all competitions. Unai Emery would want Watkins to step up his game in a big way. The English striker was the subject of transfer speculation again in the summer, but he has not shown the kind of performances that make him one of the formidable centre-forwards in England.
Watkins has one goal to show for his cause all season, which has come in a Premier League clash, and he has failed to find the back of the net in 13 other games. Hence, there is a big need for the England international to step up his game, both to help his club out as well as keep hope of a place in the England squad for the World Cup next year.
Prediction
Aston Villa 3-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv are without a win in this season’s UEFA Europa League, and they have a terrible record against English opposition. Hence, there is hardly any hope for them to get anything in this game, given that they will also face some stiff opposition from the crowd for political reasons.
Aston Villa will want to bounce back from their recent Europa League defeat and the one in the Premier League at the weekend. Emery will want a big showing from his players, to keep sights of a top-eight place, and Aston Villa are expected to comfortably topple the Israeli side on Thursday night. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for Unai Emery and his charges.