I’ve been to this fixture three times over the years and it’s another game I’ve always looked forward to. Liverpool are another team who have been good to watch over the years, the 80’s apart, where they bored me witless with their constant European style passing back to the goalie rubbish (er, that rings a bell actually).
Apart from that period they’ve always tried to play a dynamic game and it’s still the same now.
If this game was being played a few weeks back, I’d have been a lot more confident, but they’re on a roll now and I think they’ve won their last seven games???
So what do we know about the teams?
The main one for us is that Coutinho is out.I’m not sure why and to be honest I don’t particularly care. He’s been yet another disaster in a long list of disastrous Aston Villa signings and while Emery has been making all the right noises about how we need him, I don’t believe the manager rates him as much more than a squad player.
I’d be looking to get rid in the summer, but you have to wonder who’d be willing to pay his no doubt daft wages. Thanks for that one Stevie G.
The only other news is that Calum Chambers was apparently sick on Thursday, but Unai seemed pretty confident that he’ll be okay.
Otherwise we’re all good and I’d expect probably the same side as we’ve seen for the last three games.
As for Liverpool, they have Roberto Firmino fit again, but the word is that he won’t be starting. What price he comes on for a few minutes and gets a goal?
Darwin Nunez is sidelined because of a toe tendon issue and Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Calvin Ramsay have all been ruled out.
Klipperty has a touchline ban today after slating ref Tierney last week. Will that make any difference? I doubt it.
I think Liverpool are going to come at us for this one and the big risk for us is playing our usual high line. If we do that and I’m sure we will, I suspect it’ll be playing into the Reds’ hands as they have the pace to get in behind us quickly.
Might we see Ash Young dropped for this reason, as he’s certainly looked leggy lately?
Pool could also sit back and just hit us on the counter, but I don’t think so.
So I see goals and if I’m being honest it’s got to be a Liverpool win all day.
I’m tempted to say 3-1, but I’m going to go for a 2-1 loss.
Liverpool are just going too well, I feel, although I didn’t really hold out much hope for last week and the lads pleasantly surprised me.
Ah, the ups and downs of being a Villa fan eh?
UTV!
That’s off, imo.
Rightly so, it was miles off.
10 MIN INJURY LOL
You absolutely knew the officials would eventually be on Liverpools side.
10 minutes of extra time is complete rubbish.
Probably a fair result
All to play for next Sunday
Is this a Liverpool thing Everton score in the 99 th minute, and that saved them . Told you when it comes to the midlands we are shit on .
So proud. Emi achieves nothing with time wasting. I expect that 2-3 mins of the extra was down to him We are so light upfront and Bailey should not be allowed on a professional football pitch. Am I worried that he might score a hatrick against Brighton. NO. Mings Magnificent Man of the Match.
You just knew Firminho would score when he came on. I was also convinced Liverpool would win when 10 minutes added time went up. This is a different Villa now though. One that doesn’t roll over when the going gets tough. Losing Moreno when he had just come on was a big blow and massively helped Liverpool. Also how on earth did Fabinho get away with so many fouls is beyond me but he does every time.
At least it’s on us now if we are to get European football.
I don’t know how he was still on the pitch! Should have seen a yellow for the Mcginn foul in the 1st half then loads of fouls before his actual yellow in the 2nd half.
Great performance and result, but we don’t do hanging on as well as we do counter attacking. So I think in the last 20 minutes of the match we got it wrong.