Liverpool have the opportunity to go 10 points clear at the Premier League summit on Wednesday night when they travel to face Aston Villa.
The match had originally been scheduled for 15 March, but with the Reds involved in the Carabao Cup final that weekend, it’s been brought forward by almost a month.
The Midlands club had requested it to be moved for a second time, with Unai Emery’s side (and Arne Slot’s as well) tasked with playing five matches in 14-15 days, but the Premier League weren’t for budging.
Ahead of tomorrow night’s showdown at Villa Park, let’s look at the form guide and team news for the two teams, along with other key details about this fixture, for which you can get the best betting odds on the jojobet official site.
Form guide (last 6 Premier League games)
Aston Villa: W2, D3, L1, F7, A7, Pts 9
Villa are without a win in their last four top-flight matches since winning at Goodison Park in mid-January, and their two most recent home games in the division ended in disappointing draws against West Ham and Ipswich.
However, Emery’s side are still only six points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, with a refreshingly competitive battle for Champions League and Europa League qualification brewing behind what’s realistically become a two-horse race.
Liverpool: W4, D2, L0, F13, A5, Pts 14
Although the Reds have lost three matches since the start of January, it’s now been more than five months since they were last beaten in the Premier League (Nottingham Forest at Anfield in mid-September).
LFC have dropped six points since the turn of the year, though, being held to draws by the Garibaldi as well as Manchester United and Everton, the last of those being especially galling given the controversial circumstances.
With the exception of last month’s draw at the City Ground, Liverpool have scored at least twice in every top-flight match since winning 1-0 at Crystal Palace in early October.
Where can I watch Aston Villa v Liverpool?
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports in the UK, with a 7:30pm kick-off on Wednesday.
Aston Villa v Liverpool team news
Villa have six confirmed absentees for this game, with Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, Ezri Konsa, Matty Cash, Pau Torres and Ross Barkley all ruled out. Leon Bailey seems to be touch-and-go as to whether or not he’ll be available.
Liverpool will be without Joe Gomez, Tyler Morton and Cody Gakpo through injury, although Slot welcomes Curtis Jones back after the midfielder served his one-match suspension in Sunday’s win against Wolves.
Aston Villa v Liverpool prediction
The Reds will need to perform far better at Villa Park than they did at home to their Midlands rivals at the weekend if they’re to claim even one point against Emery’s side, never mind three.
At least a return to winning ways alleviates some of the pressure on the league leaders, who’d stumbled against Plymouth Argyle and Everton in the previous week, and they’ll be under no illusions as to how difficult it’ll be to win at a venue where the Villans are unbeaten in all competitions since a Carabao Cup reverse to Crystal Palace in late October.
However, in Mo Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, Liverpool have the firepower to get over the line, so we’re predicting a hard-fought 2-1 away win.
