Aston Villa and Liverpool lock horns at Villa Park on Tuesday night in a massive match in terms of the Premier League title race.
The Reds' 1-1 draw with Tottenham last week allowed Manchester City to take advantage of the slip-up, with Pep Guardiola's men smashing Newcastle United 5-0 at the Etihad on Sunday.
That win opened up a three-point gap for the Citizens, with both teams having played 35 games. Jurgen Klopp's side will look to apply more pressure on the leaders with a win in the Midlands tonight. Here is everything you need to know about the match.
What time is Aston Villa v Liverpool?
The game kicks off at 8pm at Villa Park.
Is Aston Villa v Liverpool on TV? What about streaming?
Yes, the game is being shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League channels. Coverage starts at 7.30pm. The fixture will also be available to stream via the Sky Go app.
What’s the latest team news?
Villa boss Steven Gerrard is set to be without two of his players for tonight's visit of his former side. Jacob Ramsey will sit the game out with a groin injury, while Leon Bailey’s ankle knock will keep him sidelined.
Klopp is due to welcome back Roberto Firmino, the Brazilian striker who has missed the last six matches with a foot issue. Other than that, the German boss has a fit squad to choose from.
What have the managers said?
Villa boss Steven Gerrard : “I think to watch they are probably the best, because of the speed, the intensity and the mentality of this current group. But I say that without disrespecting previous successful Liverpool teams, because I grew up watching them, the European Cup winners, serial league title-winners, I grew up on all the DNA of that club.
"I’m well aware that they have had world-class players, managers and teams previously, but I think to watch – on the eye, because of the way the game has changed, it has gone quicker and faster – I think you’re probably watching the best Liverpool team there’s been.”
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp: “Look, I would love to sit here and say, ‘Yes, City will drop points.’ The only problem is I can’t see it. This is the problem.
“I would wish I would think differently about it, it’s just I can’t see it. But we will see what happens. My problem is that we play on Tuesday against Aston Villa and, again, we do like we won this game already – but that’s, of course, not the case. It’s the toughest 95 minutes in between now and the final whistle – that’s crazy.
“We will try to prepare as good as possible – as we always do – and try to be ready for Aston Villa. Villa Park, oh my God, that will be tough as well, but we will give it a try.”
What are the latest betting odds?
Villa - 6/1
Draw - 7/2
Liverpool - 2/5
(Odds courtesy of Paddy Power, correct at time of publication. Gamble responsibly)
Match facts
- Aston Villa won this exact fixture 7-2 last season – they’ve not beaten Liverpool in consecutive home league games since February 1998.
- Liverpool have won seven of their last eight Premier League meetings with Aston Villa, with the exception being a 7-2 loss at Villa Park last season.
- There have been 20 away wins in Premier League meetings between Aston Villa and Liverpool, with the Reds’ 14 wins at the Villans more than they’ve beaten any other side on the road. In fact, only Manchester City vs Manchester United (21) has been won by the away side more in Premier League history.
- Liverpool have scored 41 away Premier League goals this season, only failing to score in only one away game (0-1 vs Leicester). The Reds have only scored more away league goals in two seasons: 42 in 1946-47 (won the top-flight) and 48 in 2013-14 (finished 2nd in Premier League).
- Aston Villa have won their last two Premier League matches and are looking to win three in a row for only the third time in their last nine top-flight campaigns. Those two runs have come in the last two seasons, a four-game run in September/October 2020, and a three-game run in February/March this year.
- Liverpool haven’t dropped a single point against sides starting the day in the bottom half of the table this season, winning all 18 such games by an aggregate score of 52-4. No team in Premier League history has ever won 100% of their games against bottom half sides in a single campaign, with Liverpool’s 18 wins the joint-most along with Manchester United in 2006-07.
- Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has scored more Premier League goals against Liverpool than he has any other side (4), netting a hat-trick in this exact fixture last season.
- Sadio Mané has scored 14 Premier League goals for Liverpool this season, with only Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota netting more for the club. Liverpool could become just the second team in Premier League history to have three players reach 15 goals in a single campaign, after Manchester City’s title winning side of 2013-14 (Yaya Touré, Sergio Agüero and Edin Dzeko).
- Ollie Watkins has netted 10+ goals in each of his two Premier League seasons for Aston Villa (10 this season, 14 in 2020-21). He’s only the third Englishman to do so in consecutive seasons for Villa, only with Dion Dublin (11 in 1998-99, 12 in 1999-00) and Gabriel Agbonlahor (11 in 2007-08, 12 in 2008-09, 13 in 2009-10).
- Aston Villa’s Danny Ings has netted against former sides Burnley and Southampton in the Premier League this season, with Romelu Lukaku in 2017-18 the last player to score against three former sides in a season (Chelsea, Everton and West Brom).
