Aston Villa will host Liverpool on Boxing Day, as they seek to end a four-game losing streak against the Reds. The Villains have not defeated Liverpool since their incredible and unlikely 7-2 Premier League victory in 2020-21.
The Reds won five of their last six games in all competitions against Aston Villa and Jurgen Klopp will fancy a sixth win from seven on Boxing Day. Liverpool are on a two-game league winning streak, as they sit sixth in the standings.
Aston Villa are also on a two-game winning streak in the league, as new manager Unai Emery has the Villains playing well. Villa are up to 12th in the table ahead of Boxing Day and just four points off the top six.
Liverpool are the team Aston Villa are chasing in the table for European qualification for next term. The Reds cannot move any higher than sixth with a win over Villa. However, Liverpool can cut the four-point gap to fifth-place Manchester United.
Aston Villa have played well at home this season with 13 of their 18 points coming at Villa Park. The Villains have scored 11 goals and conceded six at home this term.
Liverpool have not played well on their travels with just five points coming from six games. However, the Reds won their most recent away game in the league, 2-1, against Tottenham Hotspur in London.
The win may have helped Klopp’s team turn the corner for the second half of the season.
Klopp has injury issues still and won’t have the services of Luis Diaz. The Colombian is still nursing a knee injury.
Klopp will have midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita available. Both played in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Thursday, as Liverpool lost 3-2 to Man City.
Oxlade-Chamberlain had a good performance in the Carabao Cup. He will likely start on the bench against Aston Villa, however.
Diogo Jota is still on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. He will be joined by Curtis Jones, who picked up a calf injury in training. Roberto Firmino and James Milner were the most recent injury issues as both are set to miss the trip to Birmingham.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold is a doubt after suffering from a flu virus. Virgil van Dijk could make the team after returning from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Emery won’t have Philippe Coutinho or Diego Carlos for the fixture. He will be able to pick from the rest of the squad, as Aston Villa’s team is mostly fit for the restart of the league.
Liverpool played well before the World Cup break and had a fantastic Carabao Cup fourth-round match against Man City on Thursday. The extra match should help the Reds, as they see off Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park.