Aston Villa face Sheffield Utd on Saturday evening, and here’s how Unai Emery’s starting line-up could look for the Premier League encounter.
It’s another important test for Emery and the players as we look to put a recent slump in form behind us and get back to winning ways, having only picked up one win in our last five league outings.
READ MORE: Five key talking points as Villa suffer disappointing defeat vs Newcastle
The defeat to Newcastle Utd in midweek was bitterly disappointing, and our performance level has dropped in recent weeks as we haven’t looked as clinical or free-flowing in our attacking play as we have done previously.
In turn, it’s hoped that we can produce a strong performance on the road and secure all three points this weekend, but it promises to be a difficult assignment given the Blades are continuing to battle for every point as they try to escape the relegation zone.
Emery confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Pau Torres will miss out again as he looks to step up his recovery from an ankle injury next week, while Nicolo Zaniolo picked up a problem in training and is out. They join Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Jhon Duran and Lucas Digne in being unavailable.
Diego Carlos, Leon Bailey to start for Villa vs Sheffield Utd?
Emiliano Martinez will start in goal, but there could be a change in his backline as Emery may feel the balance was off on Tuesday night and revert back to a preferred set-up instead.
That could see Ezri Konsa shift across to right-back to accommodate Diego Carlos in the middle alongside Clement Lenget, with Alex Moreno continuing at left-back.
With that also comes additional physicality and height, with the hosts likely to try and cause us problems on set-pieces, which proved to be our downfall last time out.
We could see another tweak in midfield with Leon Bailey coming in for Moussa Diaby, with Youri Tielemans perhaps deployed in a more advanced role to support Ollie Watkins in the final third as Bailey takes up the position on the right wing.
Emery backed Diaby to find form as he continues to adapt and integrate into the structure and style of the team, but it could be a good time to take him out for the time being, and go with Bailey instead.
The Jamaican international was brilliant off the bench against Newcastle, and he’s having a fantastic season. In turn, it would be a surprise to see him on the bench again for this one.
Jacob Ramsey and Matty Cash will hope to be in contention too, while we could get our first look at Morgan Rogers in a Villa shirt, after he completed his move from Middlesbrough this week.
Not only does the 21-year-old arrive in confident mood after a positive season thus far, but with Zaniolo’s injury pushing him up the pecking order, he could get his first chance to make a positive impression this weekend. That said, it will surely be off the bench, and hopefully he’s quick to adapt and settle.