"One surprise result" - Chris Sutton makes bold prediction for Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Aston Villa will face a tough challenge as they host Liverpool at Villa Park on Boxing Day. Since Unai Emery took over as head coach, replacing Steven Gerrard, the Villans have won two consecutive Premier League fixtures for the first time this season.
Former England international Chris Sutton believes that Villa will be able to take that form into the game against Jurgen Klopp's men and win.
Speaking to the BBC, Sutton made the bold claim and predicted a 1-0 win for Emery's team. He said:
"Liverpool looked pretty lively against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday but they missed some big chances and also looked quite leaky at the back.
"I can see there being at least one surprise result in this first round of games back after the World Cup and I think Villa boss Unai Emery will fancy his chances of sneaking this one."
Next up, a Boxing Day visit to face Aston Villa ✊
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Aston Villa will be looking to maintain the momentum of back-to-back league wins when the Premier League season resumes on Boxing Day. Emery's first match in charge was a victory against Manchester United, followed by a loss in the Carabao Cup to Man Utd and then a win against Brighton and Hove Albion. These victories have lifted Villa to 12th place in the table and the club can now begin to look upwards after a rocky start to the campaign.
The club will be without goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for the match against the Reds as he celebrates his World Cup win with Argentina. Martinez was crucial to his country's triumph in Qatar and took home the Golden Glove award.
With Leno back as first choice, Martínez joined Aston Villa in September 2020. In his first season, he kept a club-record 15 clean sheets and became one of the standout keepers in the Premier League.
His country took notice. 😤
(via @AVFCOfficial)
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Liverpool prepare for Boxing Day clash against Aston Villa
Liverpool began to show promising signs with successive league wins before the World Cup, beating Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton to close the gap on the top four. Currently sitting in sixth place, seven points outside the Champions League places with a game in hand, the Reds will need to find consistent wins to secure a top-four finish.
The pause in the season may have benefited Liverpool as their players had minimal involvement in the World Cup compared to some of their direct rivals. Of the seven who participated in the World Cup, only one - Ibrahima Konate - progressed past the quarterfinals.
Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold had limited roles, playing a combined 120 minutes. This lack of participation in the World Cup means that Liverpool's players should be well-rested and ready to perform when the Premier League season resumes.
Jurgen Klopp and his men will be looking to bounce back from their 3-2 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday when they take on Aston Villa.