Aston Villa's big challenge at Bournemouth, their huge weekend incentive, Watkins injury update and Calvo's Champions League warning
Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
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After a midweek break, Aston Villa return to action on Saturday against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Unai Emery’s side lost 1–0 at home to Brentford last time out - a frustrating afternoon in B6.
The Bees were reduced to 10 men late in the first half, but Villa could not break down their low block and failed to take anything from the game.
Despite beating Newcastle 1–0 at St James’ Park the week before, Villa also lost 1–0 at home to Everton in January, increasing the pressure to pick up results in their upcoming matches.
Bournemouth challenge
This weekend, Villa are looking to complete a league double over Bournemouth for the first time, having beaten them 4–0 in November.
It won’t be an easy task, even if Villa have matched up well against the Cherries in recent years.
Bournemouth have only lost twice at home so far this league season - a record bettered only by Manchester City, Arsenal, Brighton and Sunderland.
Interestingly, Bournemouth matches have featured more goals than those of any other side this season, despite last year only four Premier League teams having games with fewer goals scored than theirs.
Andoni Iraola’s side have also won three of their last four Premier League matches - including home victories against Liverpool and Tottenham - after a run of 11 without a win.
Perhaps the biggest warning for Villa is that Bournemouth have impressively won five of their last seven league games against sides starting the day in the top three of the table.
Where Villa could end the weekend
A win against Bournemouth would be huge for Villa, with the chasing pack slowly closing in.
Manchester United are only five points behind, Chelsea six points back, and Liverpool - now sixth - seven points behind third-placed Villa.
This weekend could therefore be significant in Villa’s pursuit of a top-five finish.
United host Tottenham at Old Trafford in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off, so Villa will know whether the gap to fourth has narrowed or stayed the same.
More pertinently, Villa have the chance to move up to second by beating Bournemouth.
Manchester City play away at Liverpool on Sunday, which could also benefit Villa - victory over the Cherries would open up a 10-point gap to the Reds.
Furthermore, a draw between Liverpool and City would leave Villa second and nine points clear of sixth place, provided they do their job.
Villa’s injury boosts for Bournemouth
Ollie Watkins is expected to be named in Villa’s travelling squad this weekend.
After suffering a hamstring issue against RB Salzburg, Emery confirmed it was only minor and that he had an outside chance of featuring against Brentford.
Having missed last weekend, he has now trained at Bodymoor Heath and should be involved in some capacity at the Vitality Stadium.
Amadou Onana has also returned to full training ahead of the game, having remained on the bench against Brentford due to muscle fatigue.
Calvo speaks on Champions League aim
Villa’s president of business operations, Francesco Calvo, has been speaking at the Spobis Conference in Hamburg about the club’s ambitions.
It goes without saying that Villa’s objective this season is a return to the Champions League.
Last season, the club generated more than £75 million in revenue from participating in UEFA’s elite club competition.
They have two routes to qualification this season: finishing in the league’s top five or winning the Europa League.
"I think the Champions League is clearly the dream of every footballer, every player, every club, and every fan,” Calvo said at the conference. “Tuesday and Wednesday night matches have a different feel than any other game, we know that.
“For us, it's a dream and an ambition, but we mustn't forget a few things. First of all, until seven years ago we were in the Championship, and until three and a half years ago we were fighting to avoid relegation.
“So now we're establishing ourselves at the top of European football. To do this, we've invested in the players, of course, in the infrastructure, in the club itself, in building solid foundations that can give us stability and long-term success.
“The Champions League is important for the visibility it gives to the club, the players, and the money it generates.
“On the negative side, however, it has become so rich that it's also distorting domestic competition. So it needs to be looked at carefully; it's an opportunity but also a problem, because it polarises.
“If you're not there, you suffer. If you are, you love it. It's still difficult to qualify due to the league's competitive balance. We're fortunate, however, because belonging to the Premier League is a unique marketing platform, and its global reach is unique.
“The money it distributes to the clubs and its global visibility allow us to engage partners even independently of the Champions League.”
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