Aston Villa is back in action in the Premier League after a 13-day break following their 1-1 draw against West Ham United before the international break. Despite having to come from behind, securing a draw was valuable, particularly after their convincing win against Ajax in the Conference League. In the West Ham game, Unai Emery experimented with his lineup, starting players like Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers, but they didn’t leave a significant mark on the match.
Emery is likely to maintain the 4-4-2 formation for the upcoming clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers, as it provides the best opportunity to secure a victory given the squad’s composition. Aston Villa has struggled against Wolves in the Premier League since December 2020, with three draws and three losses in their six encounters.
Considering this, let’s take a look at the potential starting lineup that Emery might deploy at Villa Park today for what promises to be an intriguing contest.
Goalkeeper – Emiliano Martínez
During the international break, the goalkeeper played in one match for Argentina, maintaining a clean sheet against El Salvador. He was then given a rest for the victory against Costa Rica.
This suggests that he is well-rested for the match against Wolves, and the ex-Arsenal player will be striving to secure only his 13th shutout of the ongoing season.
Right-back – Ezri Konsa
Matty Cash is sidelined for the next three weeks due to a hamstring injury suffered while playing for Poland in their Euro 2024 playoff win against Estonia. This could result in him missing several Premier League games and the upcoming Europa Conference League quarter-finals. Consequently, Unai Emery will need to rely on Ezri Konsa to fill in at right-back. Konsa has already featured in that position 15 times this season, suggesting he is well-suited to the role against Wolves.
Center-back – Pau Torres
The Spanish player has had a commendable first season with Villa following his transfer from Villarreal last summer.
In the match against Ajax, he showcased exceptional performance. Not only did he successfully win all his ground duels, but he also completed 87% of his passes, demonstrating his commanding presence on the field.
Center-back- Clement Lenglet
Having seen little action before the festive season, Lenglet has now been included in the starting lineup for the past 12 Premier League matches.
He is set to make his 13th consecutive start against Wolves, particularly as Konsa is shifted to the right side of the defense to compensate for Cash’s absence due to injury.
Throughout Lenglet’s time in the starting XI, Villa have conceded 21 goals and managed only two clean sheets, indicating an area that requires improvement in future matches.
Left-back – Alex Moreno.
The Spanish player, who commenced the match against West Ham a few weeks back, put up a commendable performance, securing his position for today’s game. He achieved a 50% success rate in duels, executed two clearances, and successfully completed one out of two dribble attempts, demonstrating his proficiency in both defensive and offensive aspects.
Right Midfielder – Leon Bailey
The ex-Bayer Leverkusen winger has shown significant improvement under Emery’s guidance, elevating his performance to new heights. In the previous season, he contributed to nine goals across various competitions. However, this season, the 26-year-old has already contributed to 23 goals, comprising 12 goals and 11 assists, with several matches left to further enhance this tally. Positioned on the right flank of a four-man midfield against Wolves, he might find pleasure in facing off against Rayan Ait-Nouri and Toti Gomes from the Wolves team.
Central midfielder – Douglas Luiz
Bailey isn’t the sole midfielder boosting Villa’s attack this season. Luiz has also been in impressive form, finding the net 10 times and providing 10 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions, adding another dimension to the midfield.
Central Midfielder – Youri Tielemans
Because of John McGinn’s suspension resulting from a red card against Tottenham Hotspur, he won’t be available for the match against Wolves, which could pose a considerable setback for Villa. However, they have a suitable substitute in Tielemans. The Belgian midfielder has featured in the last five league games, contributing an assist against Fulham. He will serve as a more than capable replacement for McGinn, partnering with Luiz in midfield.
Left midfielder – Nicolo Zaniolo
Morgan Rogers impressed for England U21s in the recent international break, netting two goals against Luxembourg. However, Zaniolo will replace him in the starting lineup following his goal-scoring performance in the last match. The Italian midfielder scored the equalizer against West Ham with just over ten minutes remaining, earning a valuable point for the team, and he will be starting against Wolves.
Forward – Moussa Diaby
Jhon Duran, who managed zero shots and only six completed passes in the match against West Ham, is likely to be benched today. Diaby, previously labeled a “wildcard” during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, is expected to offer more offensive potency than the Colombian youngster. With seven goals and eight assists across all competitions this season, the winger, earning £130k per week, could further bolster his impressive statistics against Wolves.
Forward – Ollie Watkins
The English forward earned his tenth and 11th international caps during the recent international break, but was unable to find the net in either match.
Despite this, he boasts an impressive tally of 22 goals and ten assists this season, arguably enjoying the best season of his career. It’s almost certain he will be included in the England squad for Euro 2024 in Germany.
However, the question remains: can he help propel Villa to a top-four finish in the Premier League before then? With his remarkable scoring form, Villa could potentially secure victory in the Europa Conference League, marking an end to their 28-year trophy drought.
Projected Aston Villa Starting XI against Wolves: Goalkeeper – Martinez; Right-back – Konsa, Centre-backs – Torres, Lenglet, Left-back – Moreno; Right Midfield – Bailey, Central Midfielders – Luiz, Tielemans, Left Midfield – Zaniolo; Strikers – Diaby, Watkins.