Aston Villa return to Champions League action on Tuesday night as they take on RB Leipzig away from home.
It’s been a successful start to their first Champions League campaign, with Aston Villa collecting 10 points from a possible 15 in the league phase.
Unai Emery’s men are currently sitting in ninth position as they eye an automatic route to the last 16 while their opponents RB Leipzig have had a torrid time.
The German outfit are one of only four teams not to win a game in Europe’s elite competition, losing each of their five matches.
On current form, Villa will, therefore, fancy their chances of securing another vital victory with Marco Rose already praising Emery ahead of the clash.
Aston Villa team news ahead of RB Leipzig
Villa enter the hectic Christmas schedule with only a few minor injury troubles, and that will please the Spaniard.
Leon Bailey suffered a hamstring issue against Southampton, with Emery revealing he’ll miss the visit to Leipzig in midweek, and that remains the case.
In his pre-match press conference, he said the Jamaican winger will be assessed ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Jacob Ramsey is Villa’s only other injury concern. The 23-year-old hasn’t featured since going off injured against Liverpool at the start of November.
Emery confirmed the Englishman is still a couple of weeks away from returning, although he did say he’s ‘progressing very well’.
Aston Villa predicted lineup vs RB Leipzig
Emery spoke about the importance of squad rotation, and he will be heavily rotating his side to keep up with the relentless schedule.
Last time out, he handed Jhon Duran his first Premier League of the season, as Ollie Watkins dropped to the bench.
Against Leipzig, though, Tim Sherwood thinks Watkins should start and lead the line as he goes in search of his first Champions League goal.
Watkins isn’t the only change Emery should make for this clash, with Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne and Jaden Philogene all coming back into the lineup, replacing Diego Carlos, Pau Torres Ian Maatsen and Bailey.
The ‘ridiculous’ Philogene, as dubbed at Hull City, has struggled for form this term, but given the lack of wide options, he’s likely to start on the right.
Aston Villa predicted XI vs RB Leipzig: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Tielemans, Onana; Philogene, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins.
