Unai Emery has named his Aston Villa team to face RB Salzburg as Harvey Elliott starts
Aston Villa's Harvey Elliott
Aston Villa's Harvey Elliott(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
View Image
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named his starting XI to take on RB Salzburg in the Europa League.
He has made six changes from the side that beat Newcastle United 2-0 at St. James’ Park last Sunday, with Harvey Elliott included in the starting XI for the first time since the end of September.
Emi Martinez starts in goal behind a defence made up of Lamare Bogarde, Victor Lindelöf, Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne.
George Hemmings and Amadou Onana play in the double pivot, with Harvey Elliott, Emi Buendia and Jadon Sancho supporting striker Ollie Watkins.
Villa start the night in the top two of the Europa League league-phase table, and can guarantee home second legs in the knockout rounds until the final if they win this evening.
Salzburg, however, need a victory to keep alive their chances of finishing in the top 24 and qualifying for the knockout play-offs.
Villa and Salzburg have never faced each other in European competition before. The Villans’ only previous matches against Austrian opposition came in UEFA Europa League qualifying in 2009–10 and 2010–11 against SK Rapid, and they were eliminated on both occasions.
Including qualifiers, Villa have won 14 of their last 16 home matches in European competition (D1, L1).
They are aiming to win seven consecutive European home games at Villa Park for the first time in their history.
Villa starting XI vs RB Salzburg: Martinez; Bogarde, Lindelof, Mings, Digne; Onana, Hemmings; Elliott, Buendia, Sancho; Watkins.
Subs: Bizot, Wright, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Rogers, Jimoh-Aloba, Young.