Saturday afternoon will be a bit more emotional for some football fans. Liverpool are hosting Aston Villa but what is unusual is who is going to be standing in front of the guests’ bench. Steven Gerrard returns to Anfield but the occasion is a bit bittersweet – he will be going out against the club where he holds the status of legend as the new Aston Villa manager.
Many have been hoping that there will be a better reunion for him and his ex-club but despite that, it is certain that he will get the warm welcome that he deserves.
Gerrard’s task to get something out of this game will be difficult due to Liverpool’s form this season. The team have only been defeated once in all competitions and currently are the most efficient attacking team in the Premier League.
Aston Villa on the other side saw better days under their new manager as they have immediately improved in many areas but they are still very vulnerable. Winning three out of four games under Gerard, though, definitely brought some confidence back in the team and they look much better both in and out of possession.
But have they improved enough to challenge the title contender and limit Mohamed Salah who has scored or assisted in all but one Liverpool Premier League games this season?
Our tactical analysis in the form of a preview examines how the Merseyside legend can surprise the opposition and get a positive result out of the game through Villas improved tactics.
Possible lineups and formations
It is expected that there won’t be many changes in Liverpool’s squad compared to their starting XI against Wolverhampton. Jürgen Klopp still cannot rely on Roberto Firmino, Harvey Elliot and Curtis Jones but he does have a couple of players back from injuries which are important.
Naby Keïta and Joe Gomez, who were available against Milan too, will provide more options in midfield and defence and might be helpful against Aston Villa’s improved actions in possession. It is unlikely, though, that they will be starters in this game.
The manager will opt for their usual 4-3-3 formation and rely on high intensity and constant attacking movement to expose the opposition. It is expected that Villa will struggle with their coverage of the flanks as these are the areas where the team most frequently lose their defensive duels at. They frequently lose possession in the wide areas through inaccurate forward passing too. Matt Targett could be an easy target to Trent Alexander-Arnold due to his frequent loss of possession. It is expected that he will be available for Gerard but he will prefer to rely on Ashley Young at the left-back again.
Matty Cash and Douglas Luiz are also some vulnerable spots in terms of defensive actions which should be carefully considered, and they need to have better support from their teammates, especially in terms of anticipation and not giving the opposition too much space in their areas.
Ollie Watkins’ frequent loss of possession in the advanced areas could also be something Liverpool could use in their favour and Villa should be prepared for frequent counter-attacking actions.
Trezegue
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