Aston Villa vs Liverpool TEAM NEWS: Coutinho returns vs old club, Buendia dropped

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has made some brave changes to the side that ran out 3-1 winners at Burnley, bringing in Philippe Coutinho to face his old club.

The return of Coutinho means that last weekend’s standout player Emiliano Buendia, however, drops to the bench.

Your Villa team then see’s Emiliano Martinez as the mainstay in the sticks and he has a back four in front of him of Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Lucas Digne.

Marvelous Nakamba makes his first start since his return from injury and he’s partnered by John McGinn and Douglas Luiz in the middle of the park.

Coutinho, Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins are the front three tasked with stopping Liverpool’s title charge.

Teams in full

Aston Villa (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash, Mings, Konsa, Digne; Nakamba, McGinn, Luiz; Coutinho, Ings, Watkins

Subs: Olsen, Chambers, Young, Buendia, Chrisene, Chukwuemeka, Iroegbunam, Sanson Traore

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Jones, Fabinho, Keita; Diaz, Jota, Mane

Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Konate, Thiago, Henderson, Milner, Firmino, Origi, Salah

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