Liverpool vs. Aston Villa: How Reds Will Line Up in Premier League Game
After the international break, Liverpool will resume their Premier League campaign when they host Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday.
The Reds’ last run-out saw them finish comfortable 3-0 winners at Tottenham Hotspur, but Brendan Rodgers has since lost Daniel Sturridge to a thigh injury suffered on international duty, ruling him out for two to three weeks, according to the Mirror.
With two wins and a loss from a tough opening three games, Liverpool find themselves a point behind Paul Lambert’s men, who currently find themselves in third place with two wins, over Stoke City and Hull City, and a draw against Newcastle United.
With Sturridge out injured, here’s how Liverpool could line up on Saturday, keeping with the same 4-4-2 diamond that seems to now be the Reds' staple.
Goalkeeper: Simon Mignolet
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Liverpool’s next signing will be the free transfer of Victor Valdes when he returns to fitness after his injury, according to the Daily Mail. Until that materializes, or Rodgers gets an alternative option in, it’ll be Simon Mignolet manning the sticks at Anfield.
Right-Back: Javi Manquillo
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Following his encouraging performances against Southampton and Tottenham, Javi Manquillo has seemingly sidelined Glen Johnson and made the starting right-back slot his own.
Boasting the all-round game now essentially a prerequisite for the modern full-back, Manquillo will have plenty of chances to cement his spot on the right and turn his loan move from Atletico Madrid into a permanent one.
Left-Back: Alberto Moreno
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Scoring the fine solo goal that he did at White Hart Lane was the perfect atonement for the costly error that Alberto Moreno committed in the build-up to Manchester City’s opening goal against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
With a pair of young, adventurous but technically and positionally proficient full-backs flanking the central defensive pair, Liverpool suddenly look a lot more potent on the break—and hopefully more confident defensively as well.
Center Back: Dejan Lovren
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Martin Skrtel seems all set to return to first-team action this week, but perhaps Brendan Rodgers would want to explore his options by sticking with Dejan Lovren on the right and Mamadou Sakho on the left.
While Lovren is a left-sided defender by trade, on paper he presently represents the best complement to Sakho, and their positional and defensive nous will be needed against a lightning-quick Aston Villa attack on Saturday.
Center Back: Mamadou Sakho
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Much has been made of Mamadou Sakho’s seemingly hesitant performance alongside Lovren, himself in an unfamiliar right-sided center-back position, at Spurs, yet the fact is that they contributed to a clean sheet for the Reds—a rare feat these days for a testy Liverpool defence.
We’re keeping Mamadou Sakho in the side despite his errors on the ball against Spurs, and his two commanding performances for France have since shown that he possesses class and ability in abundance.
Holding Midfielder: Steven Gerrard
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With Lovren and Sakho on a much better wavelength with each other and Manquillo and Moreno manning the flanks at White Hart Lane, Steven Gerrard was given a much sturdier platform to operate from his deep-lying position and duly turned in his strongest performance of the season so far.
Villa have, in recent seasons, been something of a bogey team for Liverpool, though, with their strength and pace down the middle of the park. With Fabian Delph showing encouraging form on his first England start earlier this week, Gerrard will need to be on top form to avoid being exposed defensively.
Central Midfielder: Jordan Henderson
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Jordan Henderson defied pre-match reports of an injury sustained in training by completing the whole 90 minutes of England’s 2-0 win over Switzerland, but Liverpool fans shouldn’t be surprised by yet another example of his exemplary fitness levels.
At some point over the course of the season, Rodgers will need to address the possibility of burnout, but as Henderson continues his run of good form and enjoys the confidence that brings, he deserves to start as Gerrard’s go-to midfield partner.
Central Midfielder: Joe Allen
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Emre Can turned in a barnstorming performance in the German under-21s' 3-0 victory over Romania in midweek, but a reported ankle injury (via the Liverpool Echo) may affect his chances of getting a start against Villa.
Arguably Liverpool’s best midfielder in the month of August, Joe Allen has navigated his way past illustrious competition in the midfield places to find himself firmly back in Rodgers’ first-team plans. His off-the-ball pressing and on-the-ball composure will be key in a tough midfield battle on Saturday.
Attacking Midfielder: Philippe Coutinho
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After a scintillating preseason campaign, in which he was the undoubted star for the Reds, Philippe Coutinho failed to carry his form into the first two games of the season and sat out Liverpool’s victory over Spurs before the international break.
Raheem Sterling has since starred at the top of the diamond, both against Spurs and for England, but a slight change in personnel following Daniel Sturridge’s injury means that Coutinho will come back into the team on Saturday.
Striker: Mario Balotelli
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An encouraging hour at White Hart Lane showed the qualities that Mario Balotelli can bring to this Liverpool side and the benefits that go with deploying him as part of a strike duo with more of a Luis Suarez-esque free role.
Balotelli still needs to work on his finishing to become a more potent goalscoring threat—he spurned several good chances at Tottenham—but maybe a first run-out in front of the Kop will give him the boost in confidence he needs to get his Anfield career off to a good start.
Striker: Raheem Sterling
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There was a time, just a few weeks ago, when Liverpool were short in numbers up front after Luis Suarez’s departure for Barcelona. That saw Brendan Rodgers start Raheem Sterling as a makeshift striker in the opening-day win over Southampton.
Sterling, of course, went on to score the opening goal of Liverpool’s new Premier League campaign with an unerring finish after a sumptuous defence-splitting pass from Jordan Henderson. The No. 10 role might be his best position now, but he’ll do just fine alongside Balotelli in Sturridge’s absence.
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