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Sutton's predictions: Aston Villa v Chelseapublished at 11:24 22 February
11:24 22 February
Chelsea's form has been pretty rotten recently and their manager, Enzo Maresca, also needs a strong finish to the season.
It doesn't help that Cole Palmer has lost his mojo, on top of their issues at centre-forward and in goal. Maresca really needs to make the Champions League places but nothing is clicking for his side at the moment.
Aston Villa are probably in better shape in terms of their performances, but their results have also not been great with four draws and a defeat in their past five league games.
They were great going forward against Liverpool on Wednesday but just cannot keep clean sheets - although Tyrone Mings' return to the team from injury is big for them at the back.
I had to think a bit about this one but I am going for my old club Villa to beat my old club Chelsea, and Maresca might start to come under a bit of pressure if this poor run carries on much longer.
Earlier, we asked how well you remembered Aston Villa's opening Premier League game of the season.
The match against West Ham ended in a 2-1 win, with John Duran scoring Villa's winner after Lucas Paqueta's penalty for the Hammers cancelled out Amadou Onana's opener.
Emery on Konsa's fitness, Champions League draw and Chelsea 'test'published at 15:13 21 February
15:13 21 February
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Saturday's visit of Chelsea in the Premier League (17:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery said Ezri Konsa could return on Saturday: "He did the composition work with the players. I will test him and in case he is feeling good he will be in the squad. Konsa could be with us in the squad."
On Leon Bailey, he added: "Leon trained yesterday and, the same like Konsa, I think in case he's training today normally, he will be available to be in the squad and the possibility to play tomorrow."
He added that Ross Barkley is "a little bit slower than we wanted" but will return to training "in a few days" while Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara will be "two or three weeks". Axel Disasi is ineligible against this parent club.
On drawing Club Brugge in the Champions league round of 16: "Happy we are in the last 16, and happy with the draw, but every team they are in the last 16 deserve to be there. We played against Brugge [in the League Phase] and we knew their capacity to compete."
On what a win could mean for Villa's season: "Tomorrow, Chelsea is really a very good test, collectively, individually, very good test. In the table we are more or less under our target, and tomorrow we have to try to get this opportunity again to try to compete and to try to get three points."
When asked about individual mistakes, Emery said: "Some lost balls when we are building up, some individual duels we are not winning. It's how we can build our idea, our style, our structure, getting stronger. This is the first objective I have, always, because I think, through it, we will win more matches than we will lose."
He said his new signings are trying "as soon as possible" to integrate into Villa's style, adding: "Progressively, again, trying to build a team in our structure, to get stronger. Try to get collectively, tactically, our structure as strong as possible, defensively, offensively. This is the task I have, and of course the players as well, they are involved in this commitment."
Aston Villa will meet Club Brugge for just the second time in European competition, with the first meeting between the two sides also coming in the Champions League this season, a 1-0 League Phase win for Club Brugge at Jan Breydel Stadium.
Villa will be 'delighted' with Champions League drawpublished at 12:02 21 February
12:02 21 February
Image source, Getty Images
Gary Thompson says he is "very pleased" with his former side Aston Villa's Champions League last-16 draw against Club Brugge.
Villa lost 1-0 to the Belgian side during the league phase after a bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings, but have avoided a knockout tie against one of Europe's elite after finishing in the top eight.
"Aston Villa will be delighted," Thompson told The Football News Show. "Obviously, if we get through it does get difficult. It's a great opportunity.
"We have brought in players to help the squad and it's looking very good, potentially. Everyone looks at the quality of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford.
"Rashford hasn't played well in the past 18 months, but he looks a lot sharper and hungrier.
"Asensio is a fantastic footballer and if you add that to what we've got you have got to be happy with that.
"Villa will have learned a lesson [after Club Brugge beat them in the league phase].
"To be fair, there was very little in the game. If we come with the players we've got now, we have got a decent team. We shouldn't fear anybody at the minute."
'Hardest league in world can also be greatest place to learn'published at 15:39 20 February
15:39 20 February
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images
You are Andres Garcia. You are 22 years old and six weeks ago you were playing in the Spanish second division. You were quietly impressing good judges, but mostly unknown outside that league, yet to experience top-division or international football at any level.
Now you are at Villa Park, playing in the world's biggest domestic league, selected by one of your country's most decorated coaches. Just a few yards away is Marco Asensio, among the finest players in your nation's recent history. And facing you is many people's idea of the strongest side in Europe.
Amid all the noise and pomp, you settle to your work, shuttling up and down your flank, you fizz over a couple of good crosses, win a corner, rouse the fans in the North Stand. You seem to belong here.
And then, for only an instant, your concentration glitches under pressure. Your pass runs straight to Diogo Jota. You clasp your hands to your head, helpless, and in just four seconds Liverpool turn your mistake into a goal.
You stare at the turf. Now what? Do you shrink or stand up?
"The young players, they have to get their own process," Unai Emery told me later. "I think Andres Garcia's potential is really huge, we can exploit, and because his orientation with us has been so quick, he is not really playing feeling uncomfortable. He is playing more or less in our idea, getting his position and getting his qualities in our structure. His process is like that."
Emery trusts his processes and Garcia should too. Hopefully, he was reassured by his manager's faith in his ability and by the very fast response of several of his team-mates, who were clearly alert to the danger that their inexperienced colleague might be swamped by emotion and self-doubt.
To his great credit, Garcia got back to work, contributed well and was warmly applauded when substituted in the second half.
"He can make some mistakes, but learn quick, and try to do the process always looking forward," said Emery. "[He is] as well being very demanding himself every day... his attitude is fantastic, this is the most important of course."
Wherever Garcia's career takes him, he will doubtless remember this night and that moment. It must have been deeply painful, but there is good reason to think this promising young player - the least heralded and therefore perhaps most interesting of Villa's recent signings - will be stronger for having experienced it.
The hardest league in the world can also be the greatest place to learn.
'An absolute priority' - fan reaction to Liverpool drawpublished at 08:57 20 February
08:57 20 February
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on Aston Villa's 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
Here is a selection of what you sent in.
Prit: In the end it was a fair result with both teams having great chances to win it in the second half. Very happy to see Rashford and Asensio start. But, we are ninth, have 39 points, a goal difference of -3 and that is the bottom line. Unless we win the Champions League we will not be in it next season as we would need to pretty well win every game. Defence is an absolute priority for Unai next season.
William: There was a different feel at a Villa Park. A very decent performance with spirit and desire. Maybe there is an interesting end to our season on the cards…. Bring on the last 12 games!
Rich: Last night summed up Villa's season. Going forward on the counter we pass through the lines at pace and look like scoring several goals a game. At the back we have struggled all season. A disrupted back four has made it very difficult to play out against teams like Liverpool and Newcastle who play a high press. And we have made too many mistakes leading to goals. We are on the right trajectory under Emery though and he is building a good strong squad.
Morgan: Mistakes need to be cut out, but look Garcia is only new to the pace and pressure of Premier League. He'll get there. We could have snatched a win but could easily have lost. But we're competing and no one can say it's boring watching Villa. Still catches me off guard to see where we are at as a club compared to where we were a few seasons ago. Keep the faith.
Steven: Much of the initial reaction focused on Liverpool dropping points. They must have been watching a different game. Villa were much the better side in the first half and deserved to go in ahead. Both Liverpool goals had more than a touch of good fortune gifted to them (passing error and deflection) - and Villa put two more goals in only to be ruled offside. I expect the noises out of the Liverpool camp are born out of concern that they weren't the better side on the night.
Emery knows Villa must cut out mistakespublished at 23:08 19 February
23:08 19 February
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Unai Emery insists Aston Villa must learn from their mistakes after Andres Garcia's costly error.
The defender gifted Diogo Jota the ball for the forward to set up Mohamed Salah for Liverpool's opener in Wednesday's 2-2 draw.
Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins fired Villa 2-1 ahead before Trent Alexander-Arnold's second-half leveller.
The point left Villa ninth in the Premier League and five points adrift of the top four.
Emery said: "We were having the same problem sometimes two years ago, even last year, We are trying to get better, to get good position with the players. We need matches.
"Now we have to try to avoid mistakes but we have to accept mistakes, try to learn and get better from it. Last year maybe we could have three or four mistakes like today and always we were moving forward."
Loanees Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio made their first starts since joining during the winter transfer window.
The pair came off mid-way through the second half as they build their match fitness but Emery was happy with their contribution.
He said: "Getting better, getting minutes and confidence with a good feeling with the club, supporters and team mates. I think they performed well and they are helping us more and more."
'A fair result for both teams'published at 22:01 19 February
22:01 19 February
Image source, Getty Images
Unai Emery spoke to BBC Match of the Day after Aston Villa drew against Liverpool: "I think it is fair, the result for both teams. They had chances and we had chances to win but over 90 minutes, the balance in the moment we scored two goals but they always threatened in behind and scored two goals. We were competing very well but we are not happy with just one result like Liverpool. We want to beat them and try and improve and get better.
"They play good and are fantastic. It is another step forward. We tried to compete in our style and they played good.
"We are conceding more goals than normal and we have to correct it and work it. We want to win and when we are winning despite conceding goals it doesn't matter but when we are not winning we have to concede less goals. We are working to improve every day.
"We compete very well with our style. We needed to deal with their threat when they were competing too. Today I think the result was fair and I think it was a good result after how we played."
Rashford close to first Villa startpublished at 14:44 19 February
14:44 19 February
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Marcus Rashford could be handed his first Aston Villa start against Liverpool laater on Wednesday.
The Manchester United loanee has impressed in his two substitute appearances since joining earlier this month.
Forward Rashford has not started since United's 2-1 Europa League win at Viktoria Plzen in December and completed just four games this season.
Real Madrid loanee Marco Asensio is also pushing to start with Villa, ninth in the Premier League, looking to close the six-point gap to the top four when they host the leaders.
When asked if the pair were getting closer to starting, boss Unai Emery said: "Yes, because they are in their individual process to get fit and understand, tactically, our idea.
"Tactically, we are changing a little bit with those players and we have to try to practise a little bit in the training sessions as well to practise playing in matches.
"We were working every day here, trying to get the idea of them understanding where we are as well- having some meetings, trying to show it.
"Now they are getting better, understanding more and closer to playing in the starting XI."
Sutton's predictions: Aston Villa v Liverpoolpublished at 10:42 19 February
10:42 19 February
Aston Villa are capable of beating anyone on their day, but they have not won any of their past four Premier League games and they are short of fit defenders too.
So they have got bigger problems than Liverpool, who are still without Cody Gakpo but otherwise only missing Joe Gomez through injury.
It was interesting to hear Reds defender Andy Robertson admitting the team felt nervous towards the end of Sunday's win over Wolves. I know that feeling, but hearing Robertson say that now surprised me a little bit, because there still a long way to go in the title race.
Robertson has been there, done it and won it with Liverpool before, in the Premier League and Champions League, but it shows how players feel the pressure even if I still feel their seven-point lead, with 13 games to go, is a big gap for Arsenal to make up.
Liverpool are not going to play well all the time, and if this is their blip - a draw in the Merseyside derby thanks to a stoppage-time equaliser by Everton and then an edgy win over Wolves - then it is not exactly a reason to panic.
In the past few weeks they have also gone out of the FA Cup and lost their final Champions League group game against PSV Eindhoven too, but it was their reserves who lost to Plymouth and, in Europe, they were already through.
For Arne Slot, one of the important things now is balancing when to try to rest players - and Aston Villa have been in a similar situation all season because of their Champions League campaign.
Villa do not have the strength in depth Liverpool do, but they do now have Marcus Rashford, who came on and made a bit of a difference in Saturday's draw with Ipswich.
I think Villa will score against Liverpool but it is the other end of the pitch that concerns me with Unai Emery's side, partly because of that lack of defenders, especially centre-halves, but also because I feel teams can always score against them anyway - they have kept only three clean sheets in the league all season.
With Liverpool's attacking power, I am expecting them to find a way through. Arsenal are waiting for them to slip up, and they have got another tough away game at the weekend when they go to Manchester City.
They will know this is a huge week in their season, but before they go to Etihad Stadium, I can see them taking three points here.
The performance for Liverpool does not matter here. It is all about the result, and maintaining that gap.
Aston Villa's Unai Emery has won just one of his 12 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (D4 L7), winning the 2016 UEFA Europa League final 3-1 with Sevilla. Among opponents he has faced 5+ times in his managerial career, that win rate of 8% against Liverpool is his lowest.
Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford scored five goals in eight home Premier League appearances against Liverpool for Manchester United – his most home goals against any side in the competition. Indeed, excluding penalties, the only players with more home Premier League goals against Liverpool are Sergio Agüero (seven), Thierry Henry (six), and Jamie Vardy (six).
Slot has lifted Liverpool to new heights, Emery believespublished at 16:43 18 February
16:43 18 February
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool have improved under Arne Slot despite their success under Jurgen Klopp, according to Aston Villa boss Unai Emery.
Slot's Premier League leaders are yet to lose away from home this season, while the hosts have been beaten just once at Villa Park in the top flight, losing 2-0 to Arsenal in August.
Liverpool come to Villa Park for the rearranged game - because of their Carabao Cup final against Newcastle next month - on Wednesday knowing victory will extend their lead at the top to 10 points.
Klopp won their first title for 30 years in 2020 while also lifting the Champions League in 2019 - and being a runner-up twice in both - but Emery believes Slot, who replaced Klopp last summer, has raised Liverpool further.
"With Klopp they did fantastic, but with Slot they're doing even better," he said.
"As a coach, it is a big challenge, a challenge to how we can collectively set our gameplan against them. It's the most difficult match we are going to play for the last weeks and months.
"We have to compete because they are going to demand a lot of us, tactically and individually.
"I appreciate them and they have a very high level of performance this year - more than the past two years. They are even doing better."
