Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa defender Pau Torres thinks the Europa League has helped the club with their Premier League form this season.

Villa had failed to win in their first six domestic games before beating Bologna on 25 September.

That started a five-game winning run - and after two defeats in three games - a European win over Maccabi Tel Aviv got them back into a winning habit.

"We have been working well since we had [the poor form] at the beginning of the season. Europe helped us a lot in those moments, particularly Feyenoord away and Bologna at home," Torres said.

"We felt strong again when we played well [in those games]. The Europa League can help us this season."

Aston Villa make seven changes to the side that won at Leeds at the weekend.

Victor Lindelof, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Amadou Onana, Jadon Sancho, Evann Guessand and Donyell Malen all come into the team.

John McGinn is named among the substitutes so Youri Tielemans captains the side.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Lindelof, Bogarde, Torres, Maatsen, Tielemans, Onana, Guessand, Rogers, Sancho, Malen.

Subs: Bizot, Oakley, Cash, Konsa, Barkley, McGinn, Garcia, Kamara, Digne, Elliott, Buendia, Watkins.

There's four changes for Young Boys as Dominik Pech comes in for the suspended Armin Gigovic, while there are also starts for Sergio Córdova, Darian Males and Tanguy Zoukrou.

Top scorer Chris Bedia is on the bench.

Young Boys XI: Keller, Zoukrou, Lauper, Benito, Janko, Raveloson, Pech, Hadjam, Males, Fassnacht, Cordova.

Subs: Lindner, Marzino, Andrews, Wuthrich, Virginius, Sanches, Tsimba, Bedia, Luthi, Smith, Monteiro, Rufener.

Hello and welcome to tonight's live text coverage of the Europa and Conference League, focusing on the three English teams.

At 17:45 GMT, Aston Villa host Young Boys in the Europa and at 20:00 Nottingham Forest are at home to Malmo - with Crystal Palace at Strasbourg in the Conference.

Image source, Reuters