Liverpool head into their Premier League home tie against Aston Villa after winning their last six games at Anfield, with their opponents facing a dip in form.
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Premier League (11) | anfield
November 9, 2024 | 8pm (GMT)
Liverpool supporters are confident heading into a weekend that could see their side firmly ahead of their rivals or, at worst, a point behind the league leaders.
With the international break approaching, United will be hoping to leapfrog the world with a win to showcase their efforts ahead of difficult fixtures including away to Real Madrid, Manchester City and Everton.
1. Saturday Night Kickoff
Unusually, the match between Liverpool and Aston Villa kicks off at 8pm on Saturday night.
That’s because Unai Emery’s side were away in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, so TNT Sports was unable to schedule this clash for the usual 12.30pm slot.
Ahead of the 2021/22 season, it has been agreed that no club playing on a Wednesday night in the Champions League will have an early kick-off in the Premier League next Saturday.
This has since been changed to cover only European away games, which is why the Reds still have a lunchtime kick-off at Crystal Palace after facing Bologna.
2. Team news
Arne Slott failed to mention that Liverpool have a new absentee for their match against Aston Villa.
However, he shared the news that Diogo Jota had recovered from a rib injury and said, “He will be back in a week or two after the international break ends.”
Federico Chiesa is likely to return around the same time and hopefully Harvey Elliott will be back by then as well. But updates on his fitness have been rare.
Alisson is also out due to a hamstring injury suffered in the game against Crystal Palace on October 5.
3. Arne Slot’s three choice dilemmas
• Read here: Liverpool Lineup Options vs Villa – 3 Key Dilemmas and the Luis Diaz Decision
Having a squad full of high-performing players is great for Liverpool, but the slot does present a bit of a challenge for his team selection.
Against Villa, he has three important decisions to make as he decides who to play at left-back, left wing and midfield.
Andy Robertson was able to return after sitting on the bench in Liverpool’s last two games, while Luis Diaz also started on the left.
In midfield, Slot will have to choose between two of a trio that includes Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Given his prowess, we had Jones start this match alongside Mac Allister.
Predicted XI: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dyck, Robertson; Gravenwerch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
4. Aston Villa’s decline
• Opposite Q&A – Villa ‘look desperate for international break’ – Focus ‘off’ ahead of Liverpool move
Aston Villa have had another successful season so far, but Emery’s side have experienced hiccups in recent results.
The Birmingham-based side are under pressure to pick up points after losing their last three games against Club Brugge, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
However, Villa fans are not very optimistic about their chances this weekend. Supporter Tom Fahy said: This is Anfield The team said: “It looks like we desperately need an international break to help us collect and regroup.”
They are likely to have a near-complete squad for the Anfield game, with only two players clearly out – Ross Barkley and Matty Cash – who have suffered “minor injuries” to their hamstrings and calf, according to the manager.
Youri Tielemans could also miss out, but Birmingham Live reports that Emery is “hopeful” the Belgian will be available despite suffering “a little knee pain”.
5. Liverpool’s left-back battle
Kostas Tsimikas’ improved form and Robertson’s slight drop have left Slot in a conundrum and he must decide whether to make a statement by picking Tsimikas in this match.
“I think we have two very good left-backs and they play very, very well,” the manager said.
“Then I think they both need their own performances. This is because it is a position that requires a lot of effort.
“If you look at the players who have played the most games, they are mostly centre-backs, and if you compare it to full-backs, midfielders and wingers, they are not the players who actually play the most.
“So there are a number of reasons why our full-backs or midfielders are rotated sometimes, but obviously it has to do with the quality of the players and, at least in my opinion, the difference in the quality of these players.”
6. Anfield needs to gain momentum!
While not ideal for traveling supporters, Saturday’s 8pm kick-off time against Aston Villa means Anfield will have to be much louder than usual.
After watching Manchester City drop a point against Brighton at 5.30pm, Liverpool fans should be even more excited for the game, given the growing importance of each game as Liverpool’s form shows no signs of slowing down.
The extra pints and character of Anfield’s final two atmospheres mean those attending the match will have a stellar night, but that doesn’t happen magically. Listen to yourself!
7. Title rivals’ match schedule
This will not be an easy weekend for those chasing the Premier League title, if such a weekend exists.
As previously mentioned, Manchester City play away to Brighton on Saturday evening. The Seagulls will go into the game confident considering their strong but ultimately disappointing performance against Liverpool.
Arsenal also faces a difficult game when they meet Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.
Enzo Maresca and Mikel Arteta’s teams are currently in contrasting moods. Chelsea come into the game after an 8-0 win over Armenian side Noah in the Europa Conference League, while Arsenal lost 1-0 to Internazionale in midweek.
It’s only right to mention Nottingham Forest’s performance as well, as they sit in third place! They play Newcastle at the City Ground on Sunday in a match that will be broadcast at 2pm.
8. History points to the goal
This match will be the 100th meeting between Liverpool and Aston Villa in all competitions at Anfield. The Reds have won 62 of their previous 99 wins.
There have been 57 goals in the last 14 meetings in all competitions, an average of more than four goals per match.
Meanwhile, there has been just one goalless draw in the last 38 league games held at Anfield. In fact, Liverpool have scored 344 goals against Villa in league history. That’s more than any goal scored against any other team.
All of Manchester United’s last 10 goals in the league and cup have come in the second half.
9. Who is the judge?
David Coote, who has received 28 yellow cards in five Premier League games this season, will referee the match and Paul Tierney will take on the role of lead VAR.
Of the seven times Coote took charge of Liverpool games, the Reds won four. Meanwhile, Aston Villa have won 11 of the 20 games he has refereed.
Timothy Wood and Craig Taylor will act as Coot’s assistants at Anfield, while Sam Allison will act as the fourth official.
Sian Massey-Ellis will serve as assistant VAR alongside Coote. This is the second Liverpool game this season, following the game against Bournemouth.
10. Follow the match against TIA
Liverpool v Aston Villa It will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 with kickoff at 8pm (GMT).
TIA’s matchday live blog runs from 7.15pm. Harry McMullen We’re on a mission to keep you entertained and informed.
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