Aston Villa travel to Turf Moor to face Vincent Kompany’s newly promoted Burnley this Sunday. Here’s the latest heading into this game-week three fixture…
Words by: Liam Davies
THE BUILD UP
Unai Emery’s side make the trip up north off the back of an excellent mid-week victory over Lee Johnson’s Hibernian in the UEFA Europa Conference League first-leg play-off qualifier at Easter Road. The claret and blue outfit have all but confirmed their place within the group stages of the competition ahead of the second-leg tie at Villa Park on Thursday night. Goals from Leon Bailey, Douglas Luiz, and a European debut hat-trick from Ollie Watkins helped the Villans to a 5-0 win in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
Last time out in the Premier League, the West-Midlands side were rampant, netting four goals past Sean Dyche’s Everton. First-half goals from John McGinn and Luiz – who is now the team’s regular spot-kick taker – before Leon Bailey and Jhon Durán’s second-half strikes helped Villa bounce back from the opening weekend’s defeat at St James Park.
As for this week’s opposition, their last game was the first of the new season, at home to Champions Manchester City. It was a disappointing first fixture back in the Premier League for the Clarets, with Vincent Kompany tasting defeat against his former side courtesy of goals from Erling Haaland (2) and Rodri.
Burnley were not in action last week due to ongoing stadium renovations at Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road. Kompany will be keen to ensure his side do not fall behind and begin the season with consecutive home defeats.
Can the Belgian head coach inspire his side to victory and put the first few points on the board for the Lancashire-based outfit, or will Unai Emery make it back to back success in the league and claim a first three points on the road this campaign?
TEAM NEWS
ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Emi Martínez is ‘being assessed’ ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Turf Moor. The Argentine number one was withdrawn at half-time on Wednesday with a calf problem and faces a late fitness test to survey his availability this week.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Unai Emery said: “He (Emi) didn’t train and we’re going to wait for tomorrow. He has small pain in his calf, it’s not big, but we have to take our time.
“Tomorrow is our last training for Sunday’s match and it is the day to take a decision if he is going to be ready or not.”
Emery also confirmed that latest signing Nicolò Zaniolo could make his Aston Villa debut tomorrow. Villa’s new number 22 was ineligible to play in Edinburgh due to UEFA’s cup-tied regulations, having played in the Champions League qualifiers for parent club Galatasaray at the end of July. Zaniolo can become the fourth Italian to wear the famous claret and blue if he features tomorrow.
The Basque head coach further revealed that Belgian international Leander Dendoncker will return to first team training on Monday; the 28-year-old missed the entirety of pre-season due to injury. On his expectations for the midfielder, Unai Emery said: “I have had 10 months with him (Dendoncker) and I am always trying to find [how he can] be regular every day, every month, training, playing and get his best performance, for some different circumstances, he didn’t do it.”
Elsewhere, Emi Buendía (knee), Tyrone Mings (knee), Jacob Ramsey (foot), Àlex Moreno (hamstring), Philippe Coutinho (hamstring), and Tim Iroegbunam all remain out.
BURNLEY
Burnley defender Jordan Beyer is considered a doubt for Sunday’s fixture at Turf Moor. The German centre-half did not train on Thursday due to a hamstring strain, but hasn’t been ruled out of the upcoming fixture.
Former Southampton forward Michael Obafemi is unavailable for tomorrow’s game, however. The 23-year-old missed the Clarets’ pre-season campaign with a hamstring injury and required surgery, as a result.
Finally, as mentioned, Moroccan forward Anass Zaroury is suspended and North Macedonian winger Darko Churlinov is also currently sidelined.
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A BIT ON BURNLEY
Alongside Sheffield United and Luton Town, Burnley were recently promoted to the Premier League. Vincent Kompany led the clarets to the EFL Championship title last term, amassing a grand total of 101 points over 46 games, ten points clear of the Blades who gained automatic promotion in second.
Following their Championship winning campaign, Burnley have had a busy summer. The board and Kompany will be aiming to avoid the drop this season, and they have invested well, spending in excess of £100 million – a club record expenditure – on 13 players.
The latest arrival at Turf Moor comes in the form of Aaron Ramsey who joins from tomorrow’s opposition Aston Villa. The 20-year-old spent 13 years with the West-Midlands club before making the switch earlier this week. There is a buy-back clause within the youngster’s contract however, so a return to his boyhood club is certainly possible.
Joining Ramsey through the door are forwards Zeki Amdouni, Wilson Odobert, Michael Obafemi, Luca Koleosho, Nathan Redmond and Jacob Bruun Larsen (loan), midfielder Sander Berge, defenders Jordan Beyer, Dara O’Shea, Hannes Delcroix, and goalkeeper duo Lawrence Vigoroux and James Trafford.
Vincent Kompany has a big job on his hands to help the new arrivals integrate and settle, as do the longer-serving players such as Charlie Taylor, Jack Cork and Jay Rodriguez . The former Manchester City captain knows exactly what it takes to be successful in the Premier League and his experience and nous will be essential to Burnley’s season. Does the 37-year-old have what it takes to maintain the Clarets’ top division status or is the task at hand simply too difficult?
In the build-up to tomorrow’s fixture, Kompany was full of praise for his upcoming opponents. On Unai Emery’s team, Kompany said: “It’s a very impressive squad. You can see it’s one of those squads who have settled into the Premier League a little bit now. They’ve been able to have a few rounds of recruitment and a few rounds of developing their own players and it’s a robust team.
“They’re athletic, good speed, definitely worth being a part of discussion for that top eight in England which is such a high standard, such a high level.
“I think I’ve already gathered that there’s not gonna be any easy games for us this season so kinda approach it the same way we approach any game and try and give ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s what we want.”
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MY PREDICTED LINE-UP
Let’s take a look at my predicted line-up for this upcoming fixture at Turf Moor…
Do you agree? Who makes your side? Share yours now and let’s discuss?
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