liverpoolfc.com
The match at Villa Park is a direct battle for a place in the top 4 and a place in the Champions League next season as both teams enter the match with an equal number of points. The situation in the hosts camp is not a one-way street. Unai Emery team will play the Europa League final against Freiburg just five days later. Winning this final also secures a Champions League spot. Emery is expected to field a strong squad, but key players like Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rodgers may not play the full 90 minutes to ensure they make it to the final. Villa are winless in their last three league games, making this a must-win game for Liverpool. The pressure on Arne Slott is mounting after a run of poor away results recording 5 losses in their last 6 away games. The big news is the likely return of Mohamed Salah, for whom this could be his last away game with the Reds. Lverpool's squad is already seeing new signings from the summer and winter windows, such as Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkes, who will be key to Slot's tactics. Liverpool are on a streak of 11 consecutive matches without losing against Aston Villa. Both teams have struggled defensively recently as Villa have conceded a goal in 4 of their last 5 home games, while Liverpool regularly concede first on their away games.
