Aston Villa begin their long-awaited UEFA Europa Conference League campaign on Wednesday evening as they travel to Edinburgh to take on Scottish Premiership side Hibernian in the first leg of the play-off stage.
Kicking off at Easter Road in the unusual 5.45pm slot to avoid clashing with the UEFA Champions League fixtures, the Villans will be eager to earn a lead heading into the second leg at Villa Park next Thursday.
Unai Emery’s side will be brimming with renewed confidence after responding to the 5-1 defeat at Newcastle United with a 4-0 victory over Everton last time out, while captain John McGinn will be excited to take on his former club.
The Scotland international midfielder is bound to start his reunion match but other positions aren’t so secure following injuries suffered at the weekend and the potential for slight rotation given the mounting fixture congestion.
With that in mind, here are the 11 players we think Emery will name in his starting lineup, as well as brief explanations for each inclusion.
5. LB - Lucas Digne
Despite recent transfer speculation, the Frenchman was one of the best players on the field against Everton. | Getty Images
6. RM - Moussa Diaby
Netted against Newcastle effective in the 4-0 win over Everton. Moves to right midfield to allow for a different inclusion at shadow striker. | Getty Images
7. CM - Youri Tielemans
Yet to start competitively for Villa and will be keen to step in. Although Kamara is a powerhouse, Tielemans is also strong defensively. | Getty Images
8. CM - Douglas Luiz
Scored from the spot at the weekend and looked a lot more like himself again. One of the first names on the team sheet. | Getty Images