Aston Villa predicted XI vs Tottenham – Ollie Watkins to miss out as Unai Emery relies on summer signing
Aston Villa are set to travel to Tottenham in a return to Premier League action on Sunday.
Tottenham are preparing to welcome Villa as both sides look to build on victories last time out in the Premier League.
Villa Park hosted a 2-1 Villa win over Burnley before the international break, with Donyell Malen’s brace making the difference for Unai Emery’s side.
A B6 trio were on show for England as Ezri Konsa caught the eye against Latvia, with several other stars making their presence felt for their nations.
Attention will now turn to a Tottenham Hotspur Stadium trip, with Ollie Watkins potentially set to be absent in North London.
Emi Martinez to start vs Tottenham after bizarre Argentina moment
Martinez was substituted for Argentina on 76 minutes as second-choice keeper Facundo Cambeses was brought on for his first-ever cap.
Many fans in the Midlands feared that this may have been due to injury, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
The 33-year-old could return to action for Villa behind an unchanged back line in claret and blue in the hope of making more than his one save from the Burnley win.
Matty Cash and Lucas Digne could take up their spots in the full-back areas after both spent the international break with their respective nations.
A similar thing can be said of Konsa, who could be set to start again, with Pau Torres looking likely to start alongside the Englishman in North London.
Boubacar Kamara and Lamare Bogarde could also reprise their roles at the base of midfield after a largely excellent showing against Burnley last time out.
The consistency of this defensive setup could prove to be precisely what the Villans need to build on their run of four wins on the bounce.
Ollie Watkins could miss Tottenham vs Aston Villa through injury
Watkins was forced off for England against Wales after colliding with the post before being left in considerable pain.
The 29-year-old was forced off at Wembley after registering 86 per cent pass accuracy and three shots on goal before he was then sent home before England went on to beat Latvia on Tuesday.
Villa could be without the striker, but could call on four international stars to push them over the line against Thomas Frank’s side.
Morgan Rogers could start in the number 10 role and interchange with John McGinn as Evann Guessand could come in and replace Watkins in the starting 11.
This would leave Malen with the chance to lead the line in claret and blue for the trip to N17 after his brace and two created chances against Burnley.
The Dutchman will be relying on support from those around him, but there is no doubting the attacking strength in this potential Villa side.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Aston Villa news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @villanews247