Aston Villa

David Michael
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

There are two ways to view Aston Villa's current season.

One perspective is that they have squandered a great opportunity to build on last season's success and capitalise on Arsenal and Manchester City's recent stumbles to cement a place in the top three.

Alternatively, despite dropping to ninth, they are still only one point away from third, with everything to play for.

However, there is a brutal reality to the latter scenario. After the international break, Villa will find themselves in a dogfight for the European spots alongside teams like Newcastle and Chelsea, who do not have the added strain of Champions League football.

Zooming out, judging by the calendar-year results over 29 games, Villa would rank seventh in the league, even trailing Manchester United, a club that recently sacked their manager after a disappointing year.

Key players have certainly been out of form and only substitute Jhon Duran's goals have saved Villa from what could have been an uglier set of league results.

If the players deserve some criticism for recent performances, then even the usually untouchable Unai Emery has made some key mistakes. Should Tyrone Mings have started, after well over a year out, in such a crucial Champions League match against Club Brugge? A win would have set Villa up nicely for a potential top-eight spot, as, overall, the next four games will be tougher than the first four.

The Mings decision echoes Emery's choice to bring Clement Lenglet out of the cold in the Conference League semi-final first leg against Olympiakos instead of relying on Pau Torres. Lenglet's unnecessary shirt pull nullified Leon Bailey's early goal that would have put Villa ahead and his rustiness directly led to two conceded goals, ultimately costing Villa a shot at the trophy.

After the international break, solidifying Villa's defence is essential for the improvement needed to avoid an anti-climactic season. Consistency in selection may be key to achieving that.

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

Following Morgan Rogers' call-up to the England squad, here is another look at what his former manager Michael Appleton told The Football News Show about what the 22-year-old was like when he coached him at Lincoln City.

Watch the Football News Show on BBC Sounds

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Five players have been called up to England's squad for November's Nations League internationals after eight withdrew through injury.

Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen, Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite along with Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento and Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford have also been added to interim boss Lee Carsley’s squad.

Chelsea pair Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer, Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, Manchester City midfielders Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Southampton's Aaron Ramsdale have all pulled out.

England face Greece on Thursday, 14 November and the Republic of Ireland on Sunday, 17 November.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Vardon: At times it was like watching a game of park football. At others, a game full of sublime skill and vision from both teams. An absolutely engrossing 90-minute spectacle. Darwin Nunez should have had a hat-trick, but by the end of the game Liverpool fans couldn't care less. Arne Slot has breathed new life into the squad, and Ryan Gravenberch has come of age.

Marilyn: Another mature and confident exhibition of a really together team. I love it when we hunt in groups of two and three, determined to get the ball back and turn defence into another blistering attack. If only Darwin would score the goal before seeing the headlines. Calm down lad!

Niko: Great win for the Reds. Curtis Jones' work-rate and a couple of great blocks each from Gravenberch and Konate kept us ahead at half-time. But as per Liverpool's season so far, the second-half display proved too much for the opposition to handle, despite the heavy pressure Villa threw at us. Mo Salah once again proving his class.

Aston Villa fans

Janet: It's no disgrace losing to the champions elect and we had enough chances to make a game of it but our forwards are all struggling - Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey were anonymous and Morgan Rogers cannot finish. Plus, it was a cast-iron penalty which would have been given last season - being the away team in front of 60,000 Liverpool fans didn't help.

David: We grew into the second half but the mandatory Diego Carlos error cost us. Bailey has been a passenger for weeks, Jaden Philogene needs to start and give Kosta Nedeljkovic a chance so Ezri Konsa can return to the middle. Set-piece delivery needs to stop hitting the first man too.

Doc: Tough for Villa. Thought they performed really well after some poor displays. Couple of good chances we didn't take could have made a huge difference, and a couple of great saves from the Liverpool keeper. Can't understand how the holding penalty appeal on Pau Torres was not given, and a poor refereeing performance went against us. A good Villa performance.

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On BBC Match of the Day, former Premier League defender Micah Richards highlighted set-pieces as the key component of Liverpool's victory over Aston Villa:

"Austin MacPhee [Aston Villa's set-piece coach] has got them so well drilled, but Liverpool turned Villa's strength into their weakness.

"Villa committed men forward but it left an ocean of space. They didn't know how to deal with the pace of [Mohamed] Salah and [Darwin] Nunez.

"From a defensive perspective [when Liverpool counter-attack], someone has to get tight or drop off. They were sort of in between. Aston Villa just couldn't get it right and Liverpool capitalised on that.

"They commit so many men forward because they want to hurt the opposition, but Liverpool caught them out in the wrong areas."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wolves 2-0 Southampton

• Brighton 2-1 Man City

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Unai Emery spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Aston Villa's defeat against Liverpool: "We performed like we planned to before the game. Of course the result is not good, but we have to keep consistent in our structure, how we play and responding to things in the game.

"We had chances to score, maybe one potential penalty at the end, which I think with VAR was a penalty, but ok we have to accept the decisions of the referee.

"When they scored the second goal the match more or less was finished, but until that second goal we had chances to score. We were good defensively, we were patient and we felt comfortable even when they dominated the ball. We have to try and keep to our process and I think in some areas we are under our level of last year."

On what was better today than the last few games: "Against Tottenham we played 70 good minutes and in 20 minutes we lost it. The defeat was more than we deserve. Today we kept our structure, did not concede too many chances, and we were getting intheir box with the transitions.

"We were not clinical in the attacking third but we are building the team and performances. It was not enough to get points here but I am positive that we are moving forward. Of course we have to improve but we are in the right way."

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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The international break comes at a welcome time for Aston Villa as they look to regroup and put right their poor run of recent form.

They are having to manage playing in Europe as well as sustaining a fight at the top end of the Premier League and this is proving a real test of Unai Emery's managerial credentials.

He has overseen some memorable results as Villa boss, none more so than the win against Bayern Munich earlier this season, but he has always been careful to play down such highs and look at the bigger picture.

This latest defeat is Villa's fourth in a row in all competitions while in the Premier League it is just one win in their last six games, a run of results that has seen them slip to eighth.

But there were positives take from this latest loss, namely they had a number of good chances to score themselves but found Caoimhin Kelleher in excellent form in the Liverpool goal.

After the break they host Crystal Palace and that is a game they will target getting a much-needed victory before tough games against Juventus in the Champions League and then Chelsea in the Premier League.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Liverpool’s performance, external

What did you make of Aston Villa’s display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Six matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Brentford v Bournemouth

• Crystal Palace v Fulham

• West Ham v Everton

• Wolves v Southampton (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• Brighton v Man City - 17:30 (listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Liverpool v Aston Villa - 20:00

Kick-off 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 11 he takes on Mylee and Tate from CBBC football drama Jamie Johnson FC (JJFC), which is set in the world of an elite academy at fictional Premier League club Hawx United.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

It was such a lethargic performance by Aston Villa against Club Brugge on Wednesday. I was expecting far more from them.

Villa will need much more intensity if they are going to compete at Anfield, but the form Arne Slot's side are in means I cannot see past a home win for this one.

There is a lot of speculation about Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool, but what isn't in doubt is his quality, and he showed it again with his finish against Brighton last week.

Mylee's prediction: I am going with Liverpool here. 2-0

Tate's prediction: This is going to be tit for tat with one team scoring, then the other - and it will end in a draw. 3-3

Read the rest of their predictions and have your own say here

Former Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey joins Ben Croucher and Michael Brown on The Football News Show to discuss why goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez should shoulder some of the responsibility for Tyrone Mings' unusual handball against Club Brugge in the Champions League.

Watch the full episode of The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Liverpool (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Unai Emery spoke about his aims for the season, he said Villa are "enjoying the way we are doing". "Last year was a very successful season in the Premier League, getting to the Champions League. This year, the objective for us is to keep it".

• He said Villa are "increasing our level and demanding more" and will keep being "consistent in the top positions". "There are another seven teams that we have to be more intelligent than and more competitive. After last year, we were a surprise when we were getting the fourth position. We are a competitive team to be in the top seven, top five, top four".

• On Tyrone Mings' handball incident: "It's football, we made a mistake and I want to forget it. It's not necessary to speak about it again. The action was something that was not usual, it's not normal. We had to try to understand the rule and then keep going."

• On his players being ready for the weekend: "If we want to play in the Champions League or in Europe, if we want to be contenders for a trophy, we have to play three matches a week. If we are not able to play, focusing mentally and physically in this direction, we’re not going to get our objective. We’re training this afternoon and we’re going to prepare the match with the players and they’re going to be ready to play, mentally and physically. Hopefully on the field we can show our capacity to face them, competing and with the possibility to get points.”

• On Arne Slot's Liverpool: "Tomorrow at Liverpool will be completely difficult, they are the favourites to beat us. They are the favourites to win the Premier League this season, now in front of [Manchester] City and Arsenal because they started very well. Of course we are motivated, we are excited as well and we are keeping balance and tomorrow is an amazing match we are going to play in Liverpool and the team is doing the best this season in the Premier League and in the Champions League and it’s our challenge tomorrow."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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England interim boss Lee Carsley says Morgan Rogers is "not missing anything" in his game, despite not including him in his latest squad.

The Aston Villa midfielder has been a regular in Unai Emery's side this season, featuring 14 times across all competitions, scoring three goals and making three assists.

With his current form and having made his way through the age groups, many had felt the 22-year-old could be in line for his first senior call-up.

"He's definitely not missing anything, Morgan is a player I'm really aware of and a really important player for the under-21s," said Carsley.

"I think sometimes the competition in front dictates how quick you move through the pathway. He is behind some really strong players, but I have no doubt Morgan will get there."

Carsley will return to his role in charge of the Under-21 side when Thomas Tuchel becomes Gareth Southgate's full-time successor in January and Carsley added: "At this time he is a crucial and important player to the under-21s.

"If we can regain the Euros title in the summer with the under-21s, he will be a really important part of that."

Image source, PA Media

England interim manager Lee Carsley has named a 26-man squad for the upcoming Nations League games against Greece and Republic of Ireland.

Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis have received their first call-ups to the senior side, with Saints' Aaron Ramsdale one of three goalkeepers selected.

The only other uncapped player in the squad is Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, while there is no place for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers.

These will be Carsley's final two matches in charge before Thomas Tuchel becomes Gareth Southgate's full-time successor from 1 January.

Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton).

Defenders: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton).

Midfielders: Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Curtis Jones (Liverpool).

Forwards: Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham).

The decision to award a penalty against Aston Villa during their 1-0 loss to Club Brugge on Tuesday was "the correct decision", according to former Villa defender Stephen Warnock.

Centre-half Tyrone Mings was adjudged to have committed a handball inside his own penalty area, mistakenly picking up the ball after a goal-kick had already been taken by keeper Emiliano Martinez.

The converted spot kick condemned Unai Emery's side to a first defeat of the campaign as they missed the chance to return to the top of the Champions League standings.

Watch Champions League highlights on BBC iPlayer

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BBC Radio 5 Live's Alistair Bruce-Ball and former Premier League striker Chris Sutton were left confused and stunned by Tyrone Mings against Club Brugge on Wednesday, after the defender was penalised for picking up Emiliano Martinez's goal kick in the box and conceded a penalty.

"I really don't know what Mings was thinking," said Bruce-Ball on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "It was an utterly bizarre thing to do and in the end it lost them a game."

"I don't know what he was thinking either!" Sutton added. "The referee has no choice in that situation because he scooped the ball up with his hand.

"Villa got what they deserved because the performance level wasn't there. They looked a tired and jaded team that did not click in the final third.

"Had it not have been for Martinez then the scoreline could have been greater.

"There is work to do because although they have had a good start to the season, the levels of performance have not been there against Crystal Palace, Tottenham and now Club Brugge. That is the worry for Unai Emery and Aston Villa."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

We asked for your views on Aston Villa's Champions League defeat by Club Brugge.

Here are some of your comments:

Mossy: Before we all lose our heads as critical fans, take a look at the table after four games. We are still ahead of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich to mention just a few! Yes we were sloppy, slow, tired and off the game, plus a complete lack of concentration from Tyrone Mings. Maybe we have lost our form a bit - so have plenty of other teams.

Samuel: Just to combat the negativity that will no doubt be all over this page: Yes, our inability of late to convert chances is worrying, and this game was an incredibly frustrating watch, but let's not lose our heads. We have a superb manager who has proved time and time again that he knows what he's doing. Him and the team will get out of this rut.

Finn: Moment of madness cost Villa a point because they were never going to score. What's up with Ollie Watkins? He should not start the game against Liverpool. Villa going through a bad spell.

Ian: Poor viewing for a fan. Absolutely terrible performance. No spark or flair. Poor passing in the final third. Overrun and no idea in midfield. Unai Emery needs to sort this out and quickly. Do Villa need to strengthen the squad in the January window?

Matt: Why has our workrate fallen off a cliff? Needs addressing quickly or Liverpool will run riot.

Andy: No doubt Mings will grab the headlines but that was a disgusting performance from the whole team. Slow build-up play, no urgency and one shot all night says it all. Big wake-up call required. Unai's tactics are being found out and doesn't look like he has a Plan B. Performances have been slowly deteriorating since Ipswich away.

Image source, The Mail/The Mirror

It was a Champions League night to forget for Aston Villa and Arsenal as they slipped to 1-0 defeats by Club Brugge and Inter Milan respectively.

Those two goals were conceded from penalties for handball and it is those game changing decisions that make Thursday's newspaper back pages.

Image source, Star/Daily Telegraph