Aston Villa will entertain Sheffield United at Villa Park on Wednesday afternoon hoping to pick up maximum points at home so that they can get out of the relegation zone before its too late. The Blades are also fighting for a top-four spot, so we can expect them to be hungry for a victory which makes this clash an exciting one in midweek.
Talking Tactics
Dean Smith will stick with his preferred 4-5-1 formation and might instruct his players to sit back and soak in the pressure before hitting the Yorkshire outfit on the counter with the pace of Samatta.
Chris Wilder will opt for a 3-5-2 set-up for this league contest on the road. He will expect his players to enjoy more possession and create some decent goal-scoring openings in the attacking third. The midfield battle between the two teams could determine the outcome of this match, so it is no wonder that Sheffield are the bookies’ favourite to clinch a win in midweek.
Team News
Aston Villa
John McGinn will be back for this game, but both Tom Heaton and Wesley Moroes are still sidelined due to injury and thus, won’t be available for selection. Otherwise, Smith does not have any fresh injury concerns to cope with heading into this Premier League showdown at home.
Aston Villa Predicted XI
Reina, Guilbert, Engels, Mings, Targett, Douglas Luiz, Nakamba, Hourihane, Grealish, El Ghazi, Samatta
Sheffield United
Wilder will have a full squad of players to choose from when his side visit the West Midlands tomorrow afternoon.
Sheffield United Predicted XI
Henderson, Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood, Fleck, Stevens, Mousset, McBurnie
Key Men
Aston Villa
Jack Grealish will once again be Villa’s main weapon on Wednesday. He will carry most of the creative workload in the opposition half while Mbwana Samatta looks to feed off him up top. Both Tyrone Mings and Bjorn Engels will also have to perform well defensively if they are to restrict the Blades from scoring in this midweek encounter.
Sheffield United
Dean Henderson has pulled off some amazing saves during this campaign, so he will be expected to make a few good ones in midweek so that his side can keep a clean sheet at the back versus the Villans. Both John Fleck and John Lundstram will have to collectively put on a strong performance at the centre of the park if they are to enjoy more possession in this upcoming league clash.
Odds
The bookmakers have made Sheffield United the favourites to emerge victorious at Villa Park in midweek after they were priced at 5/4. The draw has been listed as 12/5 while the home team are 11/5 underdogs to pull off an upset against Chris Wilder’s men.
