Aston Villa have a chance to cap off what has already been a huge week. Unai Emery's side made it safely through to the quarter finals of the Europa League, after beating Lille 3-0 on aggregate, winning by two goals to nil at Villa Park.
On Sunday afternoon, the Midlands outfit will be looking to put pressure back on third place Manchester United, as they face West Ham United at home.
Michael Carrick’s side dropped points away to Bournemouth on Friday night, and a win for Emery’s side can see them close that gap to just one point and boost their top-four hopes.
The latest Villa team news ahead of West Ham
After their win in mid-week, it will be interesting to see whether Emery rotates or sticks with what was a relatively strong side.
It is not always easy to find the right balance for your side when managing a Thursday and Sunday fixture schedule.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Well, one player who missed out on Thursday due to injury but could return this week is midfielder Youri Tielemans. The Belgian was back in training on Friday after two months sidelined with injury.
Emery was asked about his availability during his pre-match press conference on Friday.
The Spaniard explained that he doesn’t “know if he’s going to be in the squad for Sunday”, but confirmed the former Leicester City man is “feeling good”.
tielemans-aston-villa-arsenal
Tielemans’ return from injury might not come just yet, but Matty Cash did play a part in midweek after time out himself. It is far too soon, though, for Boubacar Kamara, who will be out for some while yet.
It will be fascinating to see who Emery selects for this important fixture, with his options up front an interesting dilemma.
Who Emery might select to lead the line
It has not quite been the season Ollie Watkins was hoping for. After two strong campaigns for Villa, he has only bagged nine times this season, with his dip in form resulting in his absence from Thomas Tuchel’s 35-man England squad.
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Since losing Donyell Malen to AS Roma in the winter transfer window, they have had fewer options up front.
With that in mind, perhaps we will see Emery unleash versatile attacker Jadon Sancho in a new role through the middle, ahead of Watkins or Tammy Abraham, almost as the new version of Malen, a winger who can also play centrally.
In the minutes he has been given this season, the 25-year-old has bagged one goal and two assists, operating on both wings.
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Yet, he has the quality to play as a number nine too, having done so five times in his professional career, and with a degree of success at that.
The London-born attacker has scored twice and grabbed an assist from that central role.
Sancho record at CF
Club (season)
Dortmund (17/18)
Dortmund (20/21)
Man Utd (21/22)
Man Utd (23/24)
Stats from Transfermarkt
In recent weeks, Sancho has played well in a Villa shirt out wide.
He got a crucial assist against Lille in midweek, getting on the end of a long pass from Emi Martinez, before chopping inside and picking out John McGinn in the penalty box.
His numbers from that game show exactly the sort of form he has been in. The England international created two chances and one big chance, which turned into McGinn’s goal. He completed seven progressive carries and made six ball recoveries.
A switch to leading the line would be a big change for the attacker, who would have new responsibilities.
It seems unlikely that he’d be tasked with running in behind and stretching the West Ham defence, but instead would be required to drop deep and link up play, creating space by pulling defenders away.
sancho-aston-villa-lille
It is certainly food for thought for Emery, who might look to this ploy to find a new dynamic up front, as Malen provided in recent past.
Sancho is “magic”, according to Benni McCarthy, and could certainly have a huge impact for Villa if he plays as a number nine.
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