Aston Villa travel to Sheffield United in the Premier League on Saturday night on the back of a successful deadline day.
Unai Emery managed to get three names through the door as Morgan Rogers arrived from Middlesborough, promising goalkeeper Joe Gauci was captured from Adelaide United and Lino Sousa was signed permanently from Arsenal, but loaned straight out to Plymouth Argyle.
A slow transfer window as a whole turned into a busy deadline day for Aston Villa, who will be hoping to use their positive activity as a way of bouncing back in the Premier League.
Despite occupying fifth position in the table, Villa have won just one of their last four matches in the league and need to change that form against a struggling Sheffield United side.
In the middle of December, the Villans came unstuck against the Blades at Villa Park and required a late goal from Nicolo Zaniolo to rescue a point.
After losing 3-1 against Newcastle United last time out, Emery has some key decisions to make with his team selection, including whether to throw Rogers in from the off.
Here’s our predicted lineup for Aston Villa’s trip to Bramall Lane…
Aston Villa’s predicted XI vs Sheffield United
Despite signing promising goalkeeper Gauci, Emiliano Martinez is undroppable. In recent weeks he’s made some crucial saves in matches to reaffirm his status as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Villa’s back four showed signs of weakness in the 3-1 defeat to Newcastle but without the injured Pau Torres to choose from, it’s likely to remain unchanged with Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Clement Lenglet and Alex Moreno all starting.
The two central midfielders speak for themselves at this point. Although Boubacar Kamara was off the pace against the Toon, an easier test awaits against the Blades and he’s joined by his instrumental partner, Douglas Luiz. He’s been magnificent for Villa throughout, but like many of his teammates, hasn’t reached his usual high levels in recent matches.
Youri Tielemans had next to no impact on the contest against Newcastle, and he makes way for the ‘terrific’ Leon Bailey, who has played himself into the starting XI after his glittering display off the bench on Tuesday night.
He will line up on the right with the energetic John McGinn on the left side. The Duracell bunny in Villa’s squad, McGinn never stops running and was a rare beam of light in their dismal midweek display.
Villa didn’t sign a striker in the transfer window, which means Emery is limited to who he can partner alongside Ollie Watkins. Moussa Diaby should get the nod, but Zaniolo will be breathing down his neck.
New signing £16m signing Rogers will likely take his place on the bench, but expect him to be unleashed in the second half.
