View: Aston Villa must be wary not to be exposed by Burnley pack hunt
Unbelievably, Saturday (7 May) will be the first time all season that Aston Villa have played Burnley in the Premier League after previous postponements.
The Villans are all but safe from the drop but their hosts this weekend have suddenly found a bit of form after the shock sacking of Sean Dyche in April.
They are still in danger of the drop with just two points separating them and Everton who currently sit below the dreaded dotted line and Steven Gerrard will know just how much they will fight for their future.
Three points at Turf Moor would effectively ensure Aston Villa’s Premier League safety, if it isn’t already, but they have to be very wary of the unity within the Clarets’ camp.
They showed all of their quality and togetherness in their previous game as they came from behind to beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road to almost send the Hornets down in the process.
They were staring defeat in the face with not long left to go at Watford but despite their troubled game up until then, they were still attacking in their numbers.
Jack Cork scored the equaliser for caretaker manager Mike Jackson as he was one of four bodies busting a gut to get on the end of Charlie Taylor’s cross from the left-hand side.
Having this many players in the box attacking a cross is a nightmare to defend and Gerrard must surely have his backline intensely training their clearances from crosses.
It isn’t just the defence that needs to be wary of the ball into the area though because Cork’s flying header to level the game will worry the midfield too.
It is going to be a very energy-sapping afternoon in Lancashire and for the likes of Douglas Luiz, John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey (should they all start) it will be a battle of concentration to stay with the onrushing midfielders for the entire 90 minutes.
Burnley are equally unified in defence too with all 11 players often being behind the ball, especially from set-pieces, but this is where Villa can expose them.
With no out ball immediately evident, the Villans can press fast and high if they lose the ball in their attacking third and the hosts will have no choice but to whack it clear.
This allows Villa to pin them into their own defensive third and give those onrushing midfielders nothing to rush out for and keep them firmly in the relegation fight.
In other Aston Villa news, this Villa loanee has openly admitted that he is open to leaving the club to stay with his current side next season.