Ollie Watkins is back in the starting lineup for Aston Villa away at AFC Bournemouth today.placeholder image
Ollie Watkins is back in the starting lineup for Aston Villa away at AFC Bournemouth today. | Getty Images
The confirmed team news for AFC Bournemouth vs Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Kick-off is fast approaching for this afternoon’s Premier League encounter between AFC Bournemouth and Aston Villa at the Vitality Stadium.
The two teams have arrived on the south coast knowing a huge game awaits. For Villa, responding to last week’s shock 1-0 home defeat to Brentford is pivotal as Unai Emery’s side look to regain momentum in the Champions League race. For Bournemouth, three points today can thrust Andoni Iraola’s side straight back into the top half and the fight for Europe.
Emery has opted for four changes this afternoon, switching things up from last weekend’s loss at Villa Park. Ollie Watkins returns from his hamstring injury to lead the line instead of Tammy Abraham, while Amadou Onana heads back into the XI following muscular fatigue. There are also starts for Lucas Digne and Tyrone Mings.
Despite featuring in each of Villa’s last two matches, Harvey Elliott drops back out of the matchday squad today. Emery recently appealed to Liverpool to revoke the midfielder’s obligation-to-buy clause, but to little success. Today’s omission for Elliott could be a statement decision, or simply a tactical one.
Bournemouth vs Aston Villa lineups
Here’s how both teams shape up in full.
Bournemouth XI: Petrovic (GK); Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Cook, Scott; Rayan, Kroupi, Adli; Evanilson.
Bournemouth subs: Mandas (GK), Brooks, Christie, Milosavljevic, Smith, Diakite, Unal, Toth, Gonzalez.
Villa XI: Martinez (GK); Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Onana, Luiz; Sancho, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins.
Villa subs: Bizot (GK), Proctor (GK), Lindelof, Maatsen, Pau, Bogarde, Bailey, Barkley, Abraham.
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