Aston Villa visit Leicester City this Saturday aiming to end their run of four-straight defeats, but Steven Gerrard will have quiet reason for optimism after a break in their schedule.
Results in the Premier League have been up and down for the Villans so far through 2022. The Birmingham natives claimed three wins on the spin following one in their prior six. But losing to West Ham, Arsenal, Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur has stifled their momentum.
- Everton’s last XI before Moshiri takeover, only one survivor
- England at the World Cup: Three Lions’ group stage record ahead of Qatar
Yet the claret-and-blue side enjoyed a chance to hit reset without any fixtures over Easter. Meanwhile, the Foxes’ bid for consistency saw Brendan Rodgers’ side lose at Newcastle United on Sunday, before letting slip a 1-0 lead at Everton to draw on Wednesday night.
As a result of Richarlison’s 91st-minute equaliser, Leicester have won two of their last six top-flight matches. Aston Villa also won the last encounter between the two clubs 2-1 in December, thanks to a brace from Ezri Konsa following Harvey Barnes’ early opener.
The Villans also won on their last visit to the King Power Stadium to further fuel any hopes Gerrard has. Former Chelsea loanee Ross Barkley scored the only goal of the encounter in stoppage-time, to secure Aston Villa’s first top-flight win away to Leicester since 2004.
Gerrard will not have Barkley to fall on this week, but Aston Villa have plenty of stars they will hope can beat Leicester. Yet a combined XI of the two team’s current sides shows the Foxes could have the slight advantage, if all of Rodgers’ first-choice names were available.
GK – Kasper Schmeichel
Emiliano Martinez may have more Premier League clean sheets than Kasper Schmeichel so far this season with nine to five. But the Leicester shot-stopper would edge his Argentine counterpart, having offered a stronger presence between the sticks when saving attempts.
Schmeichel has made 110 saves in the top-flight so far this term with 76 inside his box, per SofaScore. Martinez, on the other hand, has made 76 with 52 in his area, but has also let in 34 goals within the penalty area. Schmeichel has a higher save rate with 45 goals allowed.
RB – Matty Cash
Matty Cash is the only Aston Villa star to have started all 31 of their Premier League games so far this season. He has also kicked on to become a real attacking threat with three goals and three assists. Gerrard has also been effusive with praise since replacing Dean Smith.
“He’s all in,” Gerrard said recently, via quotes by Birmingham Live. “He’s been fantastic to work with. I love his energy, his character, his personality. He brings a lot to the group on a daily basis. In the main, he’s been extremely consistent.
“He’s the one in the team who’s had the most-difficult one-vs-one challenges throughout the fixtures we’ve played and, in the main, he’s handled himself extremely well.”
CB – Wesley Fofana, Tyrone Mings
Wesley Fofana has shown why Leicester sorely missed him whilst the centre-half was out recovering from fracturing his right fibula. He regularly steps out of the Leicester backline to interrupt opposition attacks, is calm under pressure and also has a solid passing range.
Tyrone Mings would join the Foxes enforcer in a combined XI, with Aston Villa far weaker without the England international. His approach also gets the crowd on their feet, which puts added pressure on the strikers that he is tasked with helping to shut out each week.
LB – Lucas Digne
Lucas Digne has not enjoyed a totally triumphant start to his Aston Villa career, but the January arrival is always looking to create chances in the final-third. The Frenchman is also capable of offering a threat from set-pieces, and is capable in his defensive duties, as well.
CM – Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, Wilfred Ndidi
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been a revelation for Leicester in recent weeks and will pose a threat for Aston Villa. The 23-year-old’s work on and off the ball has helped to fill the void Wilfred Ndidi’s season-ending knee injury left. But the Nigerian would be an easy starter.
Ndidi would offer Youri Tielemans and John McGinn the defensive protection for the pair to cause problems. When on form, McGinn has been unplayable at times this term. As for Tielemans, he strokes the ball around the park – ideal for when Cash and Digne overlap.
CAM – James Maddison
Only Jamie Vardy (10) has scored more Premier League goals so far this season than James Maddison (8) for either Leicester or Aston Villa. The 25-year-old has also laid on five assists to date – only Barnes (6) has offered more for either side entering Saturday’s encounter.
ST – Ollie Watkins, Jamie Vardy
With Vardy netting the most goals of any Aston Villa or Leicester player, it is impossible to argue his place in a combined XI. It is also why Gerrard will be thrilled Saturday’s meeting may be too soon for the striker to return from a knee injury, despite returning to training.
Instead, Rodgers will need to rely on Kelechi Iheanacho or his £22m summer arrival Patson Daka. The pair have three and four Premier League goals each so far this season – one less than Ollie Watkins has offered the Villans alone (8) as the Birmingham outfit’s top-scorer.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
