Liverpool's predicted starting lineup against Aston Villa
Liverpool’s predicted starting lineup against Aston Villa carries a season’s worth of weight
Liverpool travel to Villa Park on Friday, 15 May 2026, and Liverpool’s predicted starting lineup against Aston Villa tells you almost everything you need to know about where this season has gone. Giorgi Mamardashvili starts in goal, Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker remain sidelined through injury, and Arne Slot fields a side that looks nothing like the one that won the Premier League title just twelve months ago.
A goalkeeper thrown into a must-win occasion
Mamardashvili arrived at Anfield as the long-term successor to Alisson, yet circumstances have forced him into the spotlight far sooner than anyone at the club expected. He plays with an authority that masks his age, and Liverpool desperately need that steady hand tonight.
They are still reeling from the 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford on 3 May, a performance that earned a scathing review from Roy Keane, who compared them to a poor five-a-side team for how cheaply they gave away the ball. That loss left a mark, and it has dialed up the pressure on this fixture. A win here would effectively lock in a Champions League spot for next season, making Mamardashvili’s job between the posts much more than just another league game.
The midfield and attack Slot trusts most right now
In defence, Curtis Jones is filling in at right-back; it is a bit of an experimental move, but injuries to Conor Bradley have left Slot with little choice. Van Dijk and Konaté remain the central pairing, while Kerkez stays at left-back after proving himself as a dependable option in what has been a disjointed season.
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In the middle, Gravenberch and Mac Allister are holding things together, even though both look exhausted from a brutal schedule and a lack of fresh legs to swap in. Further up the pitch, Frimpong takes the right flank while Florian Wirtz drifts inside from the left to provide the creative spark Liverpool miss so much without Salah.
Szoboszlai takes the number ten role, where his work rate is often more vital than his clinical finishing on nights as tense as this. Gakpo starts up top. He scored at Old Trafford and has a habit of showing up when the stakes are high.
Liverpool’s owners aren’t looking to sack Slot despite the recent slump, as they feel the team’s issues go deeper than just who is in the dugout. Still, results always matter, and this game needs a reaction. Liverpool’s predicted starting lineup against Aston Villa shows a squad stripped down to the basics, no Salah, no Alisson, and no room for error, just 11 men who have to find a way to win and give this gruelling season a finish worth remembering.
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Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Giorgi Mamardashvili – Curtis Jones, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez – Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister – Jeremie Frimpong, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz – Cody Gakpo.