Aston Villa FC vs Liverpool FC, Premier League 2022-2023, Today Match Prediction

Aston Villa FC vs Liverpool FC Match Prediction & Analysis

Aston Villa can feel very happy with the appointment of Unai Emery just before the World Cup break, with two wins coming from his first three games in charge.

Now comes the real test for the battle-hardened Spanish manager – Liverpool followed by Tottenham in a short space of time.

They will be the type of games that he wanted to be involved in when he agreed to return to the Premier League and privately he will hope to help Villa bridge the gap to the Big Six.

Liverpool know that they have a battle of their own over the next few months in order to get back towards the top end of the table.

The season started poorly for the Reds although four wins from six games before the break saw them close the gap on those precious Champions League places.

This should be a fantastic game.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Aston Villa FC Preview

Reasons to be cheerful:

     Won three of their last four home games

     Players like Danny Ings and Leon Bailey are enjoying new lease of life

Reasons to be fearful:

     Emery has only beaten Klopp on one occasion from seven meetings

     Have the league’s worst record on Boxing Day

Games against Liverpool can often make or break managers in the Premier League.

For Unai Emery’s predecessor, Dean Smith, it was the 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool that represented the peak of his time at the club. It was a shock for the ages.

Now, you feel that Emery is bringing a more measured approach to matters at Villa Park. We’re unlikely to see score lines of that kind, but what we will see is an energetic, organised Villa that will be tough to play against.

They come into this game in good form, having won three of their last four in the league. 

Unfortunately, they will have to do without their star goalkeeper Emi Martinez, who has been given additional time off after the World Cup win for Argentina. Robin Olsen should fill in.

Elsewhere, Jacob Ramsey is injured, although Villa are well-stocked in the midfield area.

You feel they’ll need a mighty performance to topple Liverpool.

Star Man – Danny Ings

Ings now has four goals in four games, and he’ll hope that Emery can get the best out of him. He needs to play with a strike partner for support, but when he’s on fire he’s one of the best in the league.

Liverpool FC Preview

Reasons to be cheerful

     Could win three in a row for the first time this season

     Have won five consecutive Boxing Day games without conceding a goal

Reasons to be fearful

     Have dropped 20 points already this season – they dropped 22 altogether last campaign

     James Milner and Roberto Firmino will miss out through injury

Jurgen Klopp will have used the World Cup break to refocus and re-energise himself and his team for the remainder of the season.

They have an uphill battle in order to qualify for the Champions League next season, and they’ll need to overcome several in-form teams to do so.

Things are looking up for the Reds, though. They are on the verge of winning three games on the spin, and Boxing Day fixtures have usually been kind for them in recent years. 

Against Villa, the odds are in their favour. Other than that 7-2 defeat in 2020, they’ve won eight of their last nine meetings. In fact, it’s only two defeats from their previous 21 matches against Villa.

Klopp will have to deal without Milner and Firmino, who have joined Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota on the treatment table.

Star Man – Mo Salah

There is plenty of pressure on Salah’s shoulders right now, particularly with Jota, Firmino and Diaz out injured. He has goals in each of his last four games against Villa which should help him here.