There’s a lot at stake at Villa Park today. Fulham is looking to secure a top-eight finish, which would likely lead to European qualification and their best Premier League result yet.
How will Aston Villa recover from their disappointing FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace last Sunday, especially after their exit from the Champions League?
Maatsen steps in to replace Digne at left-back. Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins has been performing remarkably well over the past 18 months, helping Villa reach this point, but he’s unexpectedly found himself behind Marcus Rashford in Unai Emery’s preferred lineup—only to see Rashford sidelined with a hamstring injury. There’s been no word on Watkins wanting a summer move, despite Chelsea showing interest alongside Arsenal. One has to wonder, though, what he thinks of his situation. Regardless, Watkins possesses quality, strong character, and a solid goal-scoring record.
He’s found the net in his past three encounters with Fulham, and another goal today would put him ahead of Gabby Agbonlahor (both with 75 goals) as Villa’s leading scorer ever.
Robinson and Lukic make their return for Fulham, but Sessegnon keeps his place, just further up the pitch, replacing Willian.
This match is significant for both teams. It’s a clash between seventh and eighth, though they’re motivated by different goals. Villa, still hurting from their early exits in the Champions League and FA Cup, is eager to claw back into the top five. Following Manchester City’s win last night, Chelsea’s fifth position is under threat. Fulham, on the other hand, has a chance to vie for spots given up by others—United and Spurs in the Europa League, Arsenal in the Champions League, and City involved in the FA Cup. But they can only do this if they curb their inconsistent performances. They’ll need to play better than they did last week against Southampton.
Kick-off is at 12:30 PM UK time. Feel free to join me!
