Aston Villa XI v Tottenham: Unai Emery to drop axe in four changes
Aston Villa will welcome top-four rivals Tottenham to Villa Park on Sunday 10 March.
Unai Emery’s side have the opportunity to put one foot in the door of next season’s UEFA Champions League when they host Spurs this weekend.
Villa are currently five points ahead of their North London opponents, albeit having played a game more, and victory would see them move eight points clear with 10 league games of the season left.
Having beaten Ange Postecoglou’s side 2-1 in the reverse fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season, Villa have the chance to do the double over Spurs for a second year running.
After their 0-0 draw with Ajax in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday night (7 March), Emery will be keen to make a few changes and get some fresh legs on the pitch.
Unai Emery to make four changes for the clash with Tottenham
Emi Martinez had very little to do against Ajax in a match where both teams managed just one shot on target. As per Sofascore, the World Cup winner saved the one shot he did face, while he was also successful with 100 per cent of his runs outside the box and made one high claim and he will expect to start between the sticks against Spurs.
Matty Cash was rested on Thursday and is likely to return after Ezri Konsa was sent off while filling in at right-back for the 26-year-old. Cash did play the second half, replacing Pau Torres at the break with Emery keen not to rush the Spaniard back from injury (via Birmingham Live, 8 March).
Just like Cash, Alex Moreno was rested by Emery with Lucas Digne starting in his place and the left-back is likely to make an instant return after Digne failed to provide an accurate cross into the box from three attempts and completed just 86 per cent of his passes.
Clement Lenglet and Torres started their fourth consecutive match alongside each other in the Johan Cruyff Arena and Emery could look to continue with that partnership against Spurs. Torres and Lenglet did most of what was asked of them against Ajax with the former winning two of his three ground duels and making two tackles while the latter made four clearances and two interceptions.
Tim Iroegbunam replaced John McGinn, who has been in fine form this season, but did little to impress, winning just 50 per cent of his ground duels and only managing to complete 83 per cent of his passes before being forced off. McGinn is likely to drop straight back into Villa’s starting lineup after featuring as a second-half substitute in Europe.
Douglas Luiz kept his place in the team and will expect to do so again against Tottenham despite a frustrating evening in Amsterdam as he only managed to complete one of his five crosses into the box and complete 80 per cent of his passes
Moussa Diaby was handed an opportunity to impress with Leon Bailey rested, but the Frenchman struggled to grasp that opportunity as he completed just 58 per cent of his passes and was also dribbled past once. Bailey, who replaced Morgan Rogers in the 63rd minute, will also expect to regain his place this weekend.
As for Rogers, he replaced the injured Jacob Ramsey and looked lively, completing four of his five dribble attempts and winning six of his eight ground duels. Emery could hand Rogers another start to ensure he doesn’t rush Ramsey back from injury after the midfielder was injured in the 3-2 win at Luton Town (2 March).
Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins both kept their place and will both expect to do so against Spurs.
Watkins had an unusually quiet night in Amsterdam as he saw just 18 touches of the ball, completing just 75 per cent of his passes and failing to register a shot at goal, while Tielemans also struggled as he completed just 68 per cent of his passes, failed with both dribble attempts and won just two of his six ground duels.
Nonetheless, the pair have been in fine form domestically and will be keen to have the opportunity to get back to their best against Tottenham.
In other Aston Villa news, one “absolutely perfect” Villa star stood out in the draw with Ajax.
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