Aston Villa vs Liverpool preview: Team news, line-ups, where to watch
Preview, team news, head-to-head, probable line ups, tactical analysis and where to watch Aston Villa vs Liverpool in Friday’s Premier League encounter
Aston Villa host Liverpool at Villa Park on Friday for Premier League Matchday 37, with both sides – level on 59 points – looking to confirm a Champions League spot for next season with a victory.
Unai Emery’s side are desperate for a home victory as it would see them leapfrog the Reds into the top four with just one game remaining. Villa have one just one of their last five league games, a slump that has allowed Bournemouth to reduce the gap on the top five to just four points.
On top of this, Villa are managing a delicate balancing act as the match comes just five days before their Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul. While the trophy offers an alternative route to the Champions League, securing a top-four finish on Friday would lessen the immense pressure on their remaining domestic and European matches.
Team news & injury updates
Aston Villa
With their European final looming, Unai Emery could be tempted to rest some of his key players like he did against Tottenham prior to Villa’s Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest.
Boubacar Kamara is officially out for the season following knee surgery. Amadou Onana is a significant doubt with a recurring hamstring issue and has been training away from the main group.
Liverpool
Arne Slot is under mounting pressure after a run of inconsistent form, with several key stars racing to be fit for the trip to Birmingham.
Florian Wirtz should be back after missing last game through illness, but Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker remain doubtful, with Giorgi Mamardashvili being expected to keep his place in goal. Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are out for the season.
Head-to-head (H2H) record
Liverpool have historically dominated this fixture, remaining unbeaten in their last 11 competitive meetings across all competitions with the Villans.
Last five competitive meetings:
- 01/11/2025: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
- 19/02/2025: Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool (Premier League)
- 09/11/2024: Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
- 13/05/2024: Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool (Premier League)
- 03/09/2023: Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Probable line-ups
Tactical analysis: The final sprint for fourth
The battle: High line vs. clinical pace
Arne Slot will look to utilize the pace of Alexander Isak and Jeremie Frimpong to exploit the space behind Villa’s centre-backs.
Unai Emery’s main priority is ball retention; if Villa can bypass Liverpool’s initial press through Youri Tielemans, they can find Ollie Watkins in 1v1 situations against a Liverpool defence that has kept only one clean sheet in its last six away outings.
Manager insight
Unai Emery will expect the Villa Park crowd to create a hostile atmosphere, being aware that home form is their greatest asset in securing fourth place. Arne Slot is facing scrutiny over Liverpool’s late-season dip, and will want to see his side play with the necessary aggression to secure an away win.
Where to watch Aston Villa vs Liverpool
In the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 19:00 BST.
In the United States, the game is available on USA Network and Telemundo, with streaming via Peacock and FuboTV. Kick-off is at 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT.
Market insights & probability
According to current data, Liverpool are the slight favourites with a 42.9% win probability. Aston Villa are given a 33% chance for a home victory, while the draw is priced at 24.1%.
Given the attacking talent on display, bookmakers are heavily leaning toward Both Teams to Score and Over 2.5 Goals.
