Unai Emery has a few selection dilemmas ahead of Aston Villa's Europa League clash against Lille on Thursday
Aston Villa's John McGinn and Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa's John McGinn and Ollie Watkins(Image: James Marsh/Shutterstock)
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Aston Villa need only avoid defeat against Lille on Thursday night to progress to the Europa League quarter-finals.
Unai Emery’s side won 1-0 at Stade Pierre Mauroy last week, with Ollie Watkins scoring on the hour mark to give Villa a first-leg advantage.
After losing 3-1 at Manchester United on Sunday, Villa face a crucial week at home, with matches against Lille in the Europa League and West Ham in the Premier League.
Their French opponents arrive on the back of an impressive 2-1 win at Stade Rennais and have won each of their last three away matches.
However, Lille have never won in nine previous visits to England in major European competition, losing their last seven since a 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 2005-06 Champions League group stage.
Villa, by contrast, have won each of their last six Europa League games. The only English team with a longer winning streak in the competition is Chelsea, who recorded an eight-match run between April 2013 and November 2018, including the 2012-13 final.
Emery will speak to the media on Wednesday afternoon and could confirm that Matty Cash is available. The right-back returned to training earlier this week and is expected to be fit to feature.
He could start in a defense alongside Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, and Ian Maatsen, with Emi Martinez in goal.
In midfield, Ross Barkley is unavailable, as he is not registered in the European squad. Douglas Luiz is expected to start alongside Amadou Onana.
John McGinn could play in a more advanced role, with Morgan Rogers and Jadon Sancho also supporting striker Ollie Watkins.
Watkins will be aiming to score in back-to-back major European appearances for the first time since April 2024.
Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Onana, Luiz; Sancho, McGinn, Rogers; Watkins.
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