Looking to make it twelve Premier League home wins in a row, an-inform Aston Villa side take on Rob Edwards’ newly-promoted Luton Town at Villa Park.
Here’s the latest heading into this afternoon’s game against the Hatters…
Words by: Liam Davies
THE BUILD UP
Unai Emery’s side are a force to be reckoned with at the moment. The claret and blue outfit have won four of their last five games in all competitions, including consecutive victories in the UEFA Europa Conference League, finding themselves fifth in the Premier League.
Their latest victory was on Thursday night, with Pascal Jansen’s AZ Alkmaar becoming the most recent team to feel the firepower of the Villans.
Goals from Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn inside 56 minutes took the stuffing out of the home side at the AFAS Station and, despite Ibrahim Sadiq’s 65th minute strike, the Dutch side suffered their first home defeat of the campaign.
Last time out in the Premier League, Villa got the better of their claret and blue counterparts West Ham, beating the Hammers by four goals to one.
Douglas Luiz had his team ahead at half-time, before doubling his goal tally from 12-yards in the 51st minute. Jarrod Bowen’s 56th minute deflected strike provided the travelling fans with hope, but Watkins and Bailey would then convert to shut down any form of comeback from David Moyes’ side.
As for this week’s opponents, Luton Town, Rob Edwards’ side came from two goals down to claim a point against Nottingham Forest.
Chris Wood bagged a brace and the points looked to be going the way of Forest but late efforts from Chiedozie Ogbene and Elijah Adebayo ensured Luton would remain out of the relegation zone after game-week nine.
Will Villa keep their incredible run at home alive and secure their seventh win of the term or will the Hatters defy the odds and pick up just their second ever Premier League victory?
TEAM NEWS
ASTON VILLA
Unai Emery has confirmed that midfielder Jacob Ramsey and full-back Alex Moreno remain unavailable for today’s home fixture. Speaking on the injured pair, the Spanish boss said: “Jacob Ramsey and Alex Moreno are still out.”
The former Villarreal and Sevilla head coach expects Moreno to return after the November international break, while Ramsey needs ‘two to three more weeks’ before joining the first team group back in training.
Nicolo Zaniolo was in Turin on Friday afternoon to discuss his position in an alleged illegal betting scandal against the Italian midfielder. As it stands, the loanee is available to play this afternoon and is in contention to start after beginning Thursday evening’s game from the bench.
Elsewhere Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia remain out. Speaking on the injured pair, Emery said: “Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia are always in our minds.”
LUTON TOWN
Luton Town will be without defender Reece Burke for their visit of Villa Park later today.
The 27-year-old former Hull City man picked up a hamstring injury during the second-half of the recent draw at The City Ground and is set to face time on the sidelines as a result.
Jamaican international Amari’i Bell is another Hatter unavailable for this afternoon’s Premier League fixture. The 29-year-old defender is also out injured with a hamstring problem, but head coach Rob Edwards revealed the former Blackburn man is ‘progressing in his recovery’.
Summer signing Mads Andersen joins Burke and Bell in the injury room and will be out for a couple of months after picking up a hamstring injury in the 1-0 defeat at home to Spurs. Loanee Albert Sambi-Lokonga is also sidelined.
Elsewhere, Jordan Clark and Dan Potts are both absent with ankle injuries, whilst Gabe Osho is in contention after recovering from a knee problem.
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A BIT ON LUTON…
Luton Town have experienced one of English football’s greatest fairytales. The Bedfordshire-based side played non-league football just nine years ago and now extraordinarily compete among the world’s best in the Premier League.
The Hatters defeated Coventry City on penalties in last seasons’s EFL Championship play-off final; a game that saw ex-Villan Marvelous Nakamba convert from 12-yards to help his (then) loan club up to the top flight.
The size of the task ahead (avoiding relegation) is nothing short of difficult for Rob Edwards’ team, but Town have started the season resiliently and before yesterday’s action found themselves outside of the bottom three – a point today would lift them back above Bournemouth.
Luton’s first ever Premier League victory arrived at Goodison Park when goals from captain Tom Lockyer and forward Carlton Morris ensured a 2-1 triumph over Sean Dyche’s Everton at the end of September.
The Hatters have picked up just one point from the games since the win on Merseyside however, losing to fellow promoted side Burnley and Ange Postecoglu’s top-of-the-table Spurs, before the draw against Steve Cooper’s Forest last week.
League One Exeter City knocked Luton out of the Carabao Cup in the round of 16 last month but the LTFC faithful and Rob Edwards will not be too disheartened by the ‘cupset’, knowing the league is the focus and priority.
Another difficult challenge awaits Town at Villa Park today; a place Rob Edwards knows well, with Aston Villa being the club the 40-year-old head coach started his playing career with. He’ll hope to get one up on his old side this afternoon and find Luton’s second victory of the term.
In Friday’s press conference, Edwards discussed the difficulty of their upcoming opponents and his side’s aspirations for the game.
He said: “They’re an excellent team. They’ve averaged about two points per game since he’s given them European football. They’re up there in the table again and scoring lots of goals.
“It will be a difficult game, especially as it’s away at Villa Park. But it’s one for us to enjoy, it’s a game we certainly feel we can get something from.”
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MY PREDICTED LINE-UP
Let’s take a look at my predicted line-up for this upcoming fixture at Villa Park…
Do you agree? Who makes your side? Share now and let’s discuss?
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