It hasn’t been the start to the season that Liverpool would have been hoping for, but the Reds can edge closer to the top-four in the Premier League with victory on Boxing Day. Meanwhile, Aston Villa will be looking to continue their strong start under Unai Emery with a fourth win in five.
Premier League Preview
Liverpool’s title challenge already appears to be over after 14 games this season, which means that the emphasis will be on finishing in the Champions League places. They could still face an uphill struggle to achieve that goal, as they currently sit seven points off fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. However, the Reds will be well-rested following the international break, with key players such as Mohamed Salah, Thiago, and Andrew Robertson all missing out on the tournament.
Liverpool come into this fixture after picking up back-to-back wins in the Premier League. Their latest win was a 3-1 success at Anfield against Southampton. Roberto Firmino was among the scorers in that win, while Darwin Nunez also netted a brace.
Unai Emery has enjoyed a steady start to his tenure as Aston Villa coach, as the Midlands side has easily moved away from the bottom three places in the Premier League. Villa come into this home fixture sitting 12th in the standings, and their recent form has also been solid, as they have won three of their previous four.
Villa’s last game in the Premier League came in the middle of November, as they edged to a 2-1 success against Brighton. Danny Ings was the hero in that fixture, as he scored a brace.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool Head to Head
Liverpool has won each of their previous three matches against Villa. Villa’s last win in this fixture was a famous 7-2 success at the beginning of the 2020-21 season. But, that remains their only victory over the Reds in the previous nine.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool Prediction
Villa have certainly raised their performance levels since the arrival of Emery. However, we struggle to see anything other than a big win for Liverpool in this fixture. Their biggest stars will be well-rested following the World Cup, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see them claim a comfortable 2-0 win to put down a marker for the remainder of the season.
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