Aston Villa return to home soil on Saturday afternoon as Unai Emery’s men play host to Brentford in the Premier League.
The Villans will be eager to put Wednesday’s heavy 4-1 defeat at Manchester City immediately behind them with wholesale changes expected to freshen up the lineup. Emery rotated Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres out of his midweek XI, while Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins missed out through illness and injury.
With Tottenham Hotspur playing Nottingham Forest on Sunday evening, Villa have a great opportunity to apply the pressure on their rivals for Champions League football. The Villans, albeit with an extra match played, are currently two points ahead and could make that five with a victory over Brentford.
The Bees could be tricky to beat, though, as Thomas Frank’s men recorded 31 shots in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United recently and followed it up with a solid 0-0 stalemate against Brighton & Hove Albion. Still not safe from the threat of relegation, Brentford will be just as desperate for the points.
Including decisions for Watkins, Martinez and suspension returnee John McGinn, here’s the starting XI we predict Emery will name to give Villa the best chance of victory.
1. GK - Emi Martinez
Martinez missed the Man City clash last minute due to a stomach bug. Three days is enough for a recovery, though, meaning he should start.
2. RB - Ezri Konsa
Konsa, an England debutant over the international break, will be keen to keep progressing. Matty Cash, meanwhile, is still sidelined.
3. CB - Diego Carlos
Carlos struggled at the Etihad as Phil Foden ran rings around the Brazilian and his defensive counterparts. He’s been decent otherwise this term, though.
4. CB - Pau Torres
Pau was controversially benched at City but it turned out to be a planned rest, giving him the required sharpness for a set of key fixtures approaching.