Aston Villa should thrash Sheffield United as starting XI emerges with crucial Leon Bailey decision
Aston Villa should thrash Sheffield United at Villa Park as Unai Emery recalls red-hot Leon Bailey to the starting XI.
Villa confirmed their starting XI for the game at Villa Park on Friday evening (22 December) with Emery making four changes from the side which triumphed over Brentford on Sunday (17 December).
Aston Villa have the chance to go top of the Barclays Premier League table until Saturday evening at least when they take on a struggling Sheffield United side and Emery has decided to ring the changes.
Boubacar Kamara is suspended for the game so drops out with Douglas Luiz returning from suspension Lucas Digne replaces Alex Moreno at left-back.
Pau Torres is injured for the game and is replaced by rarely-seen Clement Lenglet who starts his first Premier League game of the season. Diego Carlos drops out despite some good form recently.
However, the most notable and decisive change sees red-hot Bailey recalled to the lineup and his form means Aston Villa should be well-placed to thrash Sheffield United this evening.
So far this campaign, Bailey has recorded five goals and five assists in the Premier League, already beating his tally of last season (four goals, four assists) [Transfermarkt].
In Villa’s last eight games in all competitions, he’s bagged four goals and four assists (SofaScore) with a number of those appearances coming from the bench.
Cameo appearances are only small sample sizes when trying to analyse a player’s influence and development in a team but Bailey’s have been mightily consistent.
Against Brentford last weekend, the Jamaican international only touched the ball 19 times in the clash but managed to complete 67 per cent of his nine attempted passes, including registering the assist for Moreno’s goal. His cross back to the post carries an impressive xA of 0.23 as he almost put it on a plate for the Spaniard [Fotmob].
He may not have completed a single one of his three attempted dribbles, but the one foul he won in the match was enough to get Ben Mee sent off for the home side. The Aston Villa winger showed incredibly quick feet to move the ball away from the Brentford defender’s heavy challenge.
That ball into the penalty area was the only cross the 26-year-old completed in the match, meaning 100 per cent of the chances he created led to a goal.
In five Premier League starts and 10 substitute appearances this season, Bailey has registered 10 goal involvements, including five goals and five assists.
He has only played 616 minutes of league football, meaning he is averaging a goal or assist every 61.6 minutes.
Bailey’s form this season has arguably been second to none in Villa’s ranks and the Jamaican has to now be one of the first names on the teamsheet at Villa Park.
Brilliant decision from Emery.
In other Aston Villa news, a journalist has blasted Garth Crooks for his Villa “fantasy” comments.