Aston Villa will face AFC Bournemouth in the opening fixture of the 2022/23 Premier League season, and to say expectations are high for Steven Gerrard’s side would be an understatement.
The English manager has got his spending done early this summer with Villa signing Douglas Carlos and Boubacar Kamara, with Philippe Coutinho and Robin Olsen also signing on permanent deals after joining the club on loan last season.
- Three players who could replace Fernandinho at Manchester City
- £166m superstar among best XI of under-23 free agents this summer
With four impressive signs in the books, Villa will be looking to improve on their disappointing finish last season, and a win against Bournemouth would be the perfect result for Gerrard’s side to kick the new campaign off with.
Indeed, it has been over two years since Villa’s last fixture against Bournemouth, that being a 2-1 loss at the Vitality Stadium in February 2020, and since that defeat, the Villains have changed hugely, as seen in their XI on that day.
World Cup winner Pepe Reina starts in goal with Kortney Hause in defence
Dean Smith set up with a 3-4-3 against Bournemouth, with Pepe Reina starting in goal as the veteran Spaniard was signed to help the Villains with their recurring goalkeeping issues that had plagued them for the majority of the season.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner started for Villa for the second half of the disrupted 2019/20 season, though it was down to the defence that Smith’s side were able to stay up this campaign.
Interestingly, though, all three centre-backs who started for Villa against Bournemouth are still at the club, with Kortney Hause playing alongside Tyrone Kings and Ezri Konda in the backline.
Frederic Guilbert and Matt Targett start with Douglas Luiz in midfield role
The Villa midfield that faced Bournemouth last is where the XI starts to show how much the club has changed in just two years, with Frederic Guilbert and Matt Targett starting at wingbacks with Douglas Luiz and Marvellous Nakamba playing in central midfield.
As we know, Targett has just left Villa for good after a successful loan spell with Newcastle United, winning the defender a permanent move to St. James Park in what is an exciting move for the fullback, whilst Guilbert is set to return to Villa Park this summer.
Indeed, the French defender has only played one season of football with Villa as the fullback has spent the last two campaigns out on loan with Strasbourg, who are hoping to sign Guilbert this summer if a deal can be agreed between the two clubs.
Jack Grealish captains the side with Mbwana Samatta on the scoresheet
Just like the midfield, the attack that day against Bournemouth shows just how much Villa’s squad has changed, with every forward who started now no longer at the club, including former captain Jack Grealish.
The winger still remains England’s most expensive player after moving to Manchester City last summer for £100m, with Mbwana Samatta also leaving Villa in 2021 to join Fenerbahce, with the Tanzanian international on the scoresheet against Bournemouth, the only Premier League goal the striker ever scored for the club.
Completing the attack that day is Anwar El Ghazi, who joined Everton on loan this January, though the Netherlands international is expected to leave Villa for good this summer in what could be a profitable deal for Gerrard’s side.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
