Who: Liverpool vs. Villa
What: English Premier League
Where: Anfield in Liverpool, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, November 1 at 8pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
After being dumped out of the League Cup by Crystal Palace on Wednesday, Liverpool manager Arne Slot desperately needs his star players to get back on track.
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With a 3-0 victory at Anfield against a young Liverpool selection, Slot set his priorities and made ten changes.
Following last Saturday’s defeat at Brentford, the Reds lost six of their seven games, and they have lost their final four in the Premier League.
As the pressure mounts on the Anfield club, Al Jazeera Sport examines Saturday’s game against Aston Villa.
What does Liverpool manager Slot think about the current situation?
After six defeats in their last seven games, which plunged the Premier League champions into crisis, Liverpool manager Arne Slot warned his team not to make a habit of losing games they should win.
After facing criticism for his 3-0 defeat to the Eagles, Slot again defended the necessity to rest his key players after a string of injury issues in the first half of the season.
Slot was keen on Liverpool’s Champions League game on Sunday, Real Madrid’s visit to Anfield on Tuesday, and Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
At his pre-game press conference on Friday, Slot stated, “It is nothing more than the squad depth; it is how we’ve handled injuries and availability over the course of the season.”
“It’s just the way things are,” he continued. I have to take care of a few of the good players, and that’s why I made the decision not to play, even though there are still more than enough of them to play on Saturday, Tuesday, and Sunday.
How are Aston Villa’s fixtures against Liverpool going?
Villa fell 12 points clear of Liverpool after five games of the Premier League campaign.
However, the two teams meet this weekend, only one goal apart, because Unai Emery’s men are in top form just as Liverpool’s losing streak began.
To regain their place in the Champions League, the Villas have won four straight games, including notable victories over Tottenham and City.
Slot cited Villa as a prime example of how quickly things can change and how the Premier League performs as a whole.
What will happen in the Premier League title race?
Only three points separate second-placed Bournemouth from eighth-placed Villa, despite Arsenal’s four-point lead at the top of the table.
“I think many teams are in or near the same points, which again demonstrates how difficult the Premier League is,” Slot continued.
You don’t ever lose a game of football where you create more chances than the other team, despite the already lengthy run with us.
Let’s hope we make a habit of having more chances than the opponent but not winning it, and they (Villa) decided not to make that habit.
Why did Slot alter Palace so frequently?
With Villa’s visit quickly followed by fights against Real and City, the Dutchman said he could not risk any more injuries to his key players.
According to Slot, “I don’t believe it is possible that there will be even more pressure if you lose six out of seven,” he said. You can feel the pressure if you consistently produce these kinds of results, if you play for Liverpool, or if you take charge of the club.
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Is Liverpool’s situation a crisis for the Premier League champions?
The Reds have lost 10 games while struggling to strike the right balance for a side that has been severely damaged by a significant squad turnover during the transfer window.
Liverpool lost more players than they hired, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz being the most notable exceptions. The Premier League spent a record amount of money, close to 450 million pounds ($590 million).
With the money being spent this summer, the champions have lost four games in a row in the Premier League, and I believe Liverpool are currently in crisis, according to former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
What transpired last between Liverpool and Aston Villa?
The pair last met in the Premier League in February, when they drew 2-2 at Villa Park after their previous previous meeting.
The Reds took a 29-minute lead before Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins restored the game by the break.
In the 61st minute, Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold levelled things.
What transpired last season in the corresponding match?
The Reds won the Premier League game at Anfield in November with a 2-0 victory.
In the 20th minute, Mohamed Salah put the game to the fore, while Darwin Nunez put the finishing touches on the 84th.
Aston Villa last defeated Liverpool at what point?
In a Premier League game at Villa Park in October 2020, Villa last defeated the Reds. The home team won 7-2, making it the third time the Reds have scored six or more goals in a single game. The first two victories came in 1915, when the league won by 6-2, and in 1932, when the league won by 6-1.
Liverpool only ever hit Villa six times, including a 2016 Villa Park 6-0 victory.
In the last ten games, the Reds have won seven of those matches and are unbeaten in the overall standings.
Aston Villa last won at Liverpool when?
In the ninth minute, Gabriel Agbonlahor scored the only goal of the Premier League match at Villa after the team’s previous victory at Anfield in 2014.
After recording a 3-1 Premier League win in 2012, Christian Benteke, who was primarily responsible for the former Reds’ strikers’ double, made it a second win in three appearances at Anfield.
In the 87th minute, Steven Gerrard scored a consolation goal for Villa while Andreas Weimann scored the other goal in the Benteke brace.
Villa have won four games without losing a single game at Anfield, but the Midlands club has lost six of its previous league games.
Head-to-head
With Liverpool winning 103 games and Villa winning 59 of the 206th meeting, the two teams square off in the final match.
news from the Liverpool team
Ryan Gravenberch’s ankle injury might allow him to travel to Villa.
However, Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong, and Giovanni Leoni are all definite absentees due to injury, while Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones both have groin issues.
Amara Nallo has received a suspension for the midweek dismissal.
Aston Villa team news
Harvey Elliott, a loanee, is not allowed to face his parent club. Emiliano Buendia is in doubt due to a foot injury, while Andres Garcia and Youri Tielemans (calf) have both been ruled out.
Liverpool’s potential starting lineup
Mamardashvili, Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo, Ekitike, and Wes Wirtz are just a few examples.
Aston Villa starting lineup:
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Onana, Kamara, Malen, Rogers, McGinn, and Watkins
Liverpool’s current form (all competitions, final game):
L-L-W-L-L
Aston Villa form (in all competitions):
Source: Aljazeera
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