The Premier League returns with a bang as Boxing Day plays host to seven matches on Monday, with another two on Tuesday and one Wednesday.
League football resumes following a World Cup-induced 6-week hiatus, marking the start of another gruelling period on the domestic calendar.
Liverpool have lost four times this league campaign, twice more than all of last term. Jürgen Klopp’s men have picked up just a single win in their six league games on the road this season. As it stands, last season’s runners-up are 15 points off the pace set by league leaders Arsenal.
The Reds are also on the back of a defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, in what was their first match following the World Cup.
The Villains have won four of seven at home and they claimed back-to-back victories under Unai Emery before the season went on pause six weeks ago. Wins over Manchester United and Brighton took Villa five points clear of the bottom three.
Emery was appointed as Villa boss at the start of November, succeeding ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.
The @PremierLeague is back.
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 26, 2022
UTV! ✊ #AVLLIV pic.twitter.com/10Ijda8ytw
Liverpool won this fixture towards the end of last season, though Villa shocked the Reds by seven goals to two in the previous edition two years ago. Today’s hosts have opened the scoring in each of the past three league meetings between these teams at Villa Park.
Liverpool did not have as many players at the World Cup, relative to other teams towards the top end of the Premier League table, and all but Ibrahima Konaté returned to Merseyside before the final week of the tournament.
Attacking players Luis Díaz and Diogo Jota are sidelined, the former with a knee injury and the latter with a hamstring problem. Roberto Firmino is also ruled out through a calf injury.
🥈| Players unavailable to face Aston Villa [@LivEchoLFC]:
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) December 26, 2022
• Diogo Jota
• Luis Diaz
• Roberto Firmino
• Ibrahima Konate
• James Milner
• Curtis Jones
• Arthur
Villa are without goalkeeper and World Cup winner Emiliano Martínez, while Jacob Ramsey is nursing a hamstring issue and Diego Carlos remains unavailable with a knee injury.
Firmino is Liverpool’s top scorer this season with seven league goals to his name, one more than Mohamed Salah. Danny Ings has netted five times in the league, including a double in Villa’s last outing at Brighton.
Liverpool are priced 1.65 to pick up three points at Villa Park, while the hosts are at 5.00 to make it three wins from three under Emery. Odds of 4.00 for a draw.
Mo Salah is the leading contender to get on the scoresheet, 5.00 for the first goal and 2.30 anytime.
(Bet365)
(Cover photo: AFP via Getty Images)
