MATCH RESCHEDULED: Liverpool vs. Aston Villa ‘New’ kick-off time, prediction, team news, lineups
MATCH RESCHEDULED: Liverpool vs. Aston Villa ‘New’ kick-off time, prediction, team news, lineups
A Liverpool side still proudly flaunting their 100% Champions League record meet an Aston Villa side who lost
their perfect European tally in bizarre circumstances in Saturday’s Premier League showdown.
While Arne Slot’s side dismantled Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 in midweek, the Lions were stunned 1-0 by Club Brugge,
who triumphed thanks to one of the most farcical penalties in recent memory.
Embracing the man whom Liverpool supporters were initially crying out for as Jurgen Klopp’s successor,
Slot subjected Leverkusen boss and 2005 Champions League winner Xabi Alonso to a harsh footballing lesson on
Tuesday evening, thanks in no small part to a captivating Colombian.
Indeed, Luis Diaz breached the Bundesliga champions’ backline on three occasions at Anfield,
while Cody Gakpo also opened his Champions League account as red sparks flew on bonfire night,
where Liverpool opened up a two-point lead atop the Champions League standings.
Leading the way continentally and domestically, Liverpool capitalised on Arsenal and Manchester City’s mishaps in
Premier League gameweek 10, recovering from a one-goal deficit to eke out a 2-1 success over Brighton & Hove Albion and
open up a two-point gap over the reigning champions.
While some may have anticipated another two-horse race between Man City and Arsenal for Premier League glory,
Slot has unexpectedly taken Liverpool right back into the mix as he sends record after record tumbling,
most recently overtaking Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti in one particular category.
The crushing of Leverkusen represented a sixth straight home victory in all competitions for the rampant Reds
who have scored at least twice in all of those triumphs – and last weekend’s success versus Brighton saw them
fight back from a goal down to win a Premier League match for the 100th time.
Before Champions League matchweek four kicked off, Aston Villa were looking down on the other 35 teams in
Europe’s elite competition, having flexed their muscles against BSC Young Boys,
Bayern Munich and Bologna before facing another ‘B’ team – if you will – in Club Brugge.
Following a cagey first half in which neither goalkeeper had to pick the ball out of the back of the net,
a moment of madness from Villa skipper Tyrone Mings instead saw him pick the ball up after Emiliano Martinez had taken a goal kick – unbeknownst to him, but not to the Brugge players.
Hans Vanaken duly converted the comical spot kick to condemn Villa to European defeat number one for the 2024-25 season, and their third loss on the spin in all competitions, having been dumped out of the EFL Cup at the hands of Crystal Palace before last weekend’s 4-1 top-flight beating at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
One of three teams on 18 points, Villa sit sixth on account of an inferior goal difference to Arsenal and Chelsea, and the Lions head to Anfield having not beaten a top-two Premier League team away from home in almost 25 years, last toppling Leeds United in such circumstances in January 2000.
Each of Villa’s last nine away matches versus teams in the top two of the Premier League rankings has ended in defeat, and their winless run against Liverpool stands at eight matches in all tournaments, although that streak does include May’s 3-3 thriller at Villa Park.
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