Aston Villa Host Liverpool in Top Four EPL Clash
Aston Villa vs Liverpool Lines Open With Visitors Favored
Villa Would Clinch Champions League Place With Win
Aston Villa’s European dream came to an end on Thursday, when they fell to Olympiacos in the UEFA Europa Conference League Semifinal. Another European dream is in the making for Villa, though.
Aston Villa have a chance to clinch a spot in the Champions League for the first time in their history if they defeat Liverpool on Monday.
Liverpool are not completely out of the Premier League title race but their chances are infinitesimal. In a top four Premier League clash, we’ll take a closer look at the Aston Villa vs Liverpool lines.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool
Day/Time:
Location: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
Aston Villa vs Liverpool Head-to-Head
Since Liverpool took a 7-2 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa in 2020, the Reds have enjoyed success in this fixture. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven matches vs Aston Villa, in all competitions, with six wins and a draw.
Earlier this campaign, Liverpool took down Villa 3-0 at Anfield. The pregame Aston Villa vs Liverpool lines listed the Reds as -155 favorites.
Liverpool have also won eight of their last nine Premier League matches at Villa Park. Mo Salah has seven career goals for Liverpool vs Aston Villa as well.
Villa Look Ahead to Next European Campaign
One of the surprise EPL picks of the season, Aston Villa have been superb under Unai Emery. The Birmingham club has won 20 games in a Premier League season for the first time ever.
Heading into Matchday 37, Aston Villa are in fourth place in the EPL standings, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have a game in hand. One win will be enough to clinch a top four spot, which confers a UCL berth.
On Thursday, Aston Villa went to Greece for a second leg Conference League Semifinal matchup at Olympiacos. Villa trailed 4-2 coming in and fell 2-0 in Piraeus, which spelled elimination.
Over two legs, Aston Villa conceded five goals to Ayoub El Kaabi alone. Villa have also conceded at least two goals in four of their last six EPL games, in all competitions.
Last weekend, Villa fell 1-0 at Brighton, which was the first time they failed to score since March 10th. Injuries have struck at an inopportune time as a bunch of players are out for the season.
Emi Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Kortney Hause, Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey all won’t appear in either of Villa’s last two matches.
Meanwhile, Nicolo Zaniolo, Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers are all listed as doubtful. Regardless, EPL Player of the Season nominee Ollie Watkins, who has scored 19 league goals this season, is available.
Klopp’s Tenure Coming to Anticlimactic End
It appears to be too little, too late for Liverpool. They managed to get their first win in three games when they took down Tottenham 4-2 last Sunday but the third-placed Reds are five points behind leaders Arsenal.
Plus, Man City are four points ahead of Liverpool and City have a game in hand. So, an Arsenal or City win in any of their remaining matches mathematically eliminates Liverpool from title contention.
Currently, the EPL betting odds list Liverpool at +75000 to win the title.
It figures to be a disappointing end to Jurgen Klopp’s tenure but Liverpool have been frequent title challengers over the last six seasons.
The Reds went 4-0 up vs Tottenham last weekend as Salah, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott all registered a goal and assist.
Elliott’s goal was the pick of the bunch as he hit a left-footed curler from outside of the area that Guglielmo Vicario could do nothing about.
Tottenham got two goals back but Liverpool managed to hold on. It was the first time Liverpool managed to score four goals in a Premier League match since February.
While Klopp and Salah had a touchline in the game vs West Ham, Klopp had no problem starting the Egyptian last weekend. Expect Salah to be in the XI on Monday and Gakpo has certainly made a case to start up top again.
Diogo Jota, Thiago and Joel Matip remain out for Liverpool, though.
Aston Villa vs Liverpool Match Analysis & Odds
While the Aston Villa vs Liverpool lines do price the Reds as -140 favorites, Villa are tough to beat at home. Aston Villa are 12-3-3 at home in the EPL and this is their last opportunity to play in front of their home fans this season.
Liverpool have only lost three road matches this EPL season but this ranks among their toughest matches of the campaign.
Aston Villa are +295 underdogs for Monday’s match, while a draw comes in at +365 odds. The last 14 meetings between these sides at Villa Park have finished with a winner, though.
Aston Villa +0.5 shows +120 odds. While Liverpool have conceded in nine straight EPL games, Villa have allowed a goal in five of their last six.
We wouldn’t at all be surprised to see both EPL teams get on the scoresheet here. The oddsmakers are predicting quite a few goals as well, with the over/under goal total at 3.5.
At the moment, over 3.5 goals are priced at -120 odds for what should be an entertaining match.
For EPL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
