Aston Villa vs Liverpool: Champions League Qualification, Team News and Head-to-Head Ahead of Penultimate Premier League Fixture

With just two Premier League matchdays remaining, Aston Villa and Liverpool meet at Villa Park in a fixture that carries significant weight for both clubs. Sitting fifth and fourth respectively, the two sides are level on points — separated only by goal difference — as they battle to secure top-five finishes and, with it, a return to the UEFA Champions League next season.

A draw would be sufficient for both clubs to guarantee Champions League qualification, though confirmation cannot come until at least next Tuesday, when sixth-placed Bournemouth face Manchester City. Aston Villa retain an alternative route to Europe’s premier competition: victory over Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League final on 20 May would also earn them a place in the 2026-27 Champions League. Catching Manchester United in third remains a mathematical possibility for either side, though securing a top-five finish appears the more realistic and immediate objective.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has acknowledged the difficulty of the assignment. “This will always be a difficult game,” Slot said of travelling to Villa Park, a sentiment grounded in historical context. Aston Villa have won only one of their last 16 Premier League meetings against Liverpool — though that solitary victory was the unforgettable 7-2 rout at Villa Park in October 2020, one of the most remarkable results in recent Premier League history. The last two league encounters between the sides at Villa Park have each ended in draws, with a combined ten goals scored across those two fixtures.

Liverpool’s away form further tempers expectations for Slot’s side. The Reds hold only the ninth-best away record in the Premier League this season, having lost eight of their 18 matches on the road — a vulnerability that Unai Emery’s home side will look to exploit.

On the team news front, Aston Villa will be without Boubacar Kamara (knee), Alysson (groin) and Amadou Onana (calf). Loanee Harvey Elliott is also ineligible to face his parent club under the terms of his loan agreement. Beyond those absences, Villa are otherwise well-positioned heading into the match.

Liverpool face a lengthier injury list. Conor Bradley (knee), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Giovanni Leoni (knee) and Wataru Endo (foot) are all confirmed absentees. Ibrahima Konate (thigh), goalkeeper Alisson (fitness) and Florian Wirtz (illness) require further assessment before final selections are made. Mohamed Salah has been cleared for involvement, though his availability is limited to “a few minutes” as he continues his return from injury. Alexander Isak, who came off the bench against Chelsea in Liverpool’s previous outing, could now be handed a starting berth.

Possible starting lineups:

Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Lindelof, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins

Liverpool: Mamardashvili; Jones, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Isak

The atmosphere at Villa Park is expected to be charged, buoyed by the club’s run to the Europa League final. Liverpool’s inconsistent form away from Anfield, combined with the energy of a European final week, provides Villa with tangible grounds for confidence. With so much riding on the result for both clubs, a tense, closely contested encounter appears the most likely outcome. According to reports, the prediction leans toward a 2-2 draw — a scoreline that would, notably, serve both sides’ primary objective of securing Champions League football.