Dean Smith’s Aston Villa side have undoubtedly been the biggest surprise package of the season so far, in that they have already handed out defeats to the likes of Liverpool, Leicester City, and most recently, Arsenal. The Villans’ 7-2 thrashing of the reigning champions was beyond anyone’s wildest expectations, and that shows the quality that this team actually possess. The recent win against Gunners continued to portray a similarly dominant Villa side, with attacking quality coming from all the various parts of the pitch.
Although the scoreline read 3-0, it must be taken into account that Dean Smith’s dominant Villa side could’ve easily had four or five goals on the night. Not only did they win the midfield battle for the most part, but they essentially outclassed the Gunners in every aspect of the match. The likes of Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley put in inspired displays, while Ollie Watkins’ finishing abilities were impressive as well. The Villans currently find themselves in sixth place on the league table, where a comprehensive win in this match against Brighton could see them go top of the table, at least for the time being.
Team News
The Villans currently have a few key players out injured, despite which they’ve been displaying top form in the league. The most notable absence is that of Brazilian striker Wesley, who suffered a long-term injury and isn’t set to return until the start of 2021. Bjorn Engels and Frederic Guilbert are both unavailable for selection as well. Bertrand Traore is likely to make his return to the matchday squad for this clash, although it’s unlikely that he will start. Kortney Hause is also said to be back in training, but he isn’t expected to make his way into the eleven either.
Here Is The Predicted 4-2-3-1 Aston Villa Lineup Vs Brighton:
Predicted 4-2-3-1 Aston Villa Lineup Vs Brighton
Defence
The Villans have been in sensational form since the start of the campaign, having conceded the joint least number of goals in the entire division. Emiliano Martinez has nailed down the starting role since coming into the team, and there’s no way he gets dropped. In front of him, expect the usual centre-half pairing of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, with Matty Cash and Matt Targett operating in the two full-back roles. The four of them will have to be at their best to keep Brighton at bay, but a similar performance to what they produced at Arsenal will certainly be more than enough.
Midfield
When Villa signed combative Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz from Manchester City, the Citizens seemingly assumed that they were parting ways with an average player. However, over the course of the last two seasons, he has shown that letting him go was a massive mistake from Pep Guardiola’s team. Expect Luiz to start in the core of the side, with John McGinn alongside him. The Scottish midfielder acts as the main link between defence and attack, while his ability to make late runs into the box is quite impressive as well.
Attack
The Villans attacking has been right up there with the best in the league this season, with only Chelsea and Tottenham having scored more goals than Dean Smith’s men. A lot of this has been down to the creativity that is being provided by the likes of Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley. While Grealish is expected to continue in the left-sided role, Barkley should start as the number ten. Trezeguet is set to operate on the right side, with Ollie Watkins leading the line for Villa once again.
