Premier League Preview: Aston Villa - Liverpool

What: Premier League, round 3
Who: Aston Villa (7th, 2pts), Liverpool (2nd, 6pts)
When: Sunday, August 31 (1600 BST)
Where: Villa Park, Birmingham


The battle of Barry

It is fitting this fixture has arrived so early in the calendar in light of the drama in this summer's transfer market as Liverpool and Aston Villa engaged in a tug-of-war for Gareth Barry. It was tonight's hosts who won the war in the end, keeping hold of their captain, even though his desire to leave for Champions League football was evident, ultimately, the Reds would not pay what was being demanded by the midlands club.

Relations have soured between the two clubs following the saga and that will provide some added spice for Sunday afternoon's encounter. Liverpool, a team finally hoping to make a genuine challenge for the league title, have won their first two games but in the most unconvincing manner imaginable. They have also been very poor in Europe. The debate over whether their playing poorly and winning is an early sign of champions - like Manchester United last year - or just a case of same old Liverpool, rages on without conclusion. Only time will tell.

Villa have made almost all the right moves in the transfer market, including holding onto Barry, and their somewhat new-look team seems to have gelled quite well already. The shock 3-2 loss to Premier League new-boys Stoke City has proven very much a blip in what has so far been a solid start to the season for Martin O'Neill and his men, but in the Reds they will have their sternest opposition yet by a distance.

The hosts will rightly fancy their chances of staking their claim to fifth place ahead of the likes of a somewhat bare-bones Everton and a Tottenham Hotspur side that continues to lack consistency. Points in games against the likes of Liverpool could prove the difference come May, and thus Martin O'Neill will not by any means be looking to settle for anything less than the very best from his players.

Missing club captain Steven Gerrard, Liverpool will lack a spark between midfield and attack and, of course, the uncanny to win games at the death come what may. The skipper is one of a kind but, out with a groin injury, will leave Rafa Benitez relying on contributions from his wingers in order to link midfield to attack, an area in which the former Valencia coach has been highly criticised for not strengthening over the summer. The arrival of Albert Riera from Espanyol is said to be imminent, but even this has done little to placate Kopites, who believe more funds should have been put towards bringing in a player of higher quality.

Villa will without doubt sense their chance to pounce for some valuable points on Sunday, but likewise Liverpool have a form of momentum on their side going into this game. The longer they keep it up, the more they put themselves in with a chance of really mounting a challenge when the team starts clicking into gear. Points here could be crucial.

FORM GUIDE

Aston Villa

Aug 28: Aston Villa 1-1 FH Hafnarfjordur (UEFA Cup preliminaries)

Aug 23: Stoke City 3-2 Aston Villa (Premier League)

Aug 17: Aston Villa 4-2 Manchester City (Premier League)

Aug 14: FH Hafnarfjordur 1-4 Aston Villa (UEFA Cup preliminaries)

Aug 2: Reading 1-1 Aston Villa (Friendly)

Jul 26: Aston Villa 1-0 Odense BK (Intertoto Cup)

Liverpool

Aug 27: Liverpool 1-0 Standard Liege (Champions League preliminaries)

Aug 23: Liverpool 2-1 Middlesbrough (Premier League)

Aug 16: Sunderland 0-1 Liverpool (Premier League)

Aug 13: Standard Liege 0-0 Liverpool (Champions League preliminaries)

Aug 8: Liverpool 1-0 Lazio (Friendly)

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa

New signing James Milner did not arrive in time to make the squad for the game. Wilfred Bouma remains a long-term absentee and another new signing, Steve Sidwell, is also missing. The Villans should otherwise welcome back a host of players who were rested for their midweek UEFA Cup clash. Carlos Cuellar is a doubt and may not be able to make his debut for the club as he is still struggling with a niggling knock and Curtis Davies may retain his place in defence.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Friedel; L Young, Davies, Laursen, Shorey; Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, A Young; Agbonlahor, Carew.

Liverpool

The big name absentee is of course club captain Steven Gerrard, who is recovering from groin surgery. Olympic gold medalist Javier Mascherano and bronze winner Lucas Leiva are back from Beijing and available for selection. Sami Hyypia has a hamstring problem and will miss the game.

Daniel Agger is likely to be kept out of the side by Martin Skrtel, while Andrea Dossena may well slot back in at left-back ahead of Fabio Aurelio. Ryan Babel, having provided the assist midweek, may replace Yossi Benayoun in left-wing, while gold medallist Mascherano is likely to slot in alongside Xabi Alonso in midfield, in the absence of Steven Gerrard. New signing Philipp Degen remains an absentee with injury.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Reina; Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel, Dossena; Kuyt, Alonso, Mascherano, Babel; Torres, Keane.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aston Villa - Gareth Barry

Could it really be anyone else? The skipper has started this season in fine fettle and has committed his future to the club, after a summer in which he tried his utmost to secure a move to Sunday's opponents. Perhaps a player of his quality is worthy of Champions League football, but it was Liverpool who failed to meet the £18 million asking price; Barry will be as eager as ever to prove just how much he is worth in the middle of the park this weekend and notch up another win for Villa in front of their home fans, following last week's embarrassment at Stoke.

Liverpool - Robbie Keane

All eyes will continue to be on the Irishman until he scores a goal, or at least plays well. Seemingly preferred to Barry, Keane will cost the Reds an eventual fee in excess of £20m. On paper, he makes the near perfect partner for Fernando Torres, but the rest of Liverpool's system simply isn't geared to accommodate the former Tottenham man in his best position, as has been made all too clear in the early games of this season. However, with Gerrard out of the team, Keane will perhaps have more freedom in behind Torres and, providing there is good service from the likes of Xabi Alonso and perhaps Ryan Babel, he could make his mark on Sunday.

PREDICTION

On form, and considering home advantage, Villa really should win this game, but it's just the way Liverpool's season has been going so far that suggests they will edge out another win, irrespective of how the game unfolds. Villa's lazy defeat at Stoke exposes some of their vulnerability and, while they have signed well this summer, the side has not yet fully gelled in defence and the likes of Torres - and perhaps Keane - will be eager to exploit such a weakness. Liverpool have managed to defend fairly well so far in this campaign to make up for their lack of fluency, and if they can keep the hosts' scoring down to a minimum then they could pick up another invaluable three points.

Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool