Aston Villa vs Liverpool – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Unai Emery’s side look to confirm Champions League place with a win in Jurgen Klopp’s penultimate match

Ollie Watkins leads teh line for Villa again tonight and he has the chance to net his 20th Premier League goal of the campaign.

Should he do so, he’ll become the first Villa player since Peter Withe in 1980-81 to score 20 goals in the top-flight.

Watkins also enjoys a great record against Liverpool. Only Brighton have been on the receiving end of the striker’s efforts more times than the Reds.

Yeah, they gave me Simon Hooper. That’s obviously the biggest challenge they could find. But I’m, I’m all right, I should be, I should be fine.

Good football would be cool. Results would be nice as well. So obviously, we play in a situation where pretty much everybody around us is playing for absolutely everything, and we cannot really make a move in the table or something like that.

So but if we really think about it, and if I organize tomorrow, a five a side game, and then the boys go full throttle without any kind of bigger target. So that’s what I want to see. We play for the love of football, for the love of good football. Look left and right, look at the quality we have and use it. And that’s what I want to see.

Only one change for Liverpool as well as Joe Gomez comes in for Andy Robertson at left-back. The front three that started against Tottenham remain, meaning it’s another match with Darwin Nunez starting on the bench.

Tielemans come straight back into the starting line-up. He is the only change from defeat by Olympiakos in midweek.

Matty Cash drops out of the squad for tonight’s game.

It’s been very Villa heavy so far hasn’t? Alright Reds fans, here’s a clip from yesteryear to get you in the mood.

Fernando Torres, 93rd minute winner from 2009. One of the many late winners the Reds have had at this ground over the years.

Two-time Oscar winner and Hollywood royalty Tom Hanks is in attendance tonight. I believe his last trip to the ground was Villa’s 4-2 defeat by Arsenal last season.

He’ll be hoping for better viewing. I’m hoping for the same number of goals.

Gary Neville, Sky Sports:

It could be emotional there tonight, when you think, in their recent history, a club that’s been in the championship, a club that’s nearly got relegated from the Premier League, is absolutely magnificent Aston Villa on the great clubs of my youth, the original, sort of top five, top six.

And then we start to talk about them sort of differently in the last few years, because they sort of, yeah, they spend differently. They fall behind a little bit, and the new sort of wave of clubs come along, like Chelsea, manage the city, but for them to be on the brink of top four this season, I thought they were a good season, but I didn’t think they would get top four.

Tom Collomosse, Mail Sport:

Youri Tielemans is with the Villa squad as they arrive to a spine-tingling welcome from the home supporters.

The midfielder was not involved against Olympiacos last week and his return would be a huge boost.’

Unai Emery’s side are looking to avoud a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions, having crashed out of the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have nothing to play for. Man City and Arsenal’s wins this weekend have mathematically ended their title aspirations.

It’s all vibes from here on out.

Tom Collomosse, Mail Sport:

Villa are exhausted but the prize is so close. With performances from key men like Emi Martinez, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn, they will feel they can pull this off.

The Reds boss is one yellow card away from a suspension that would mean a touchline ba for his final game as Liverpool boss. Imagine that, Klopp absent from the sidelines for the emotional scenes on Sunday.

There’s no chance of that happening. Even if he has to channel his inner Jose Mourinho and sneak onto the bench against Wolves.

Regardless, Klopp is adament it won’t come to that, telling reporters he’s known he has had to watch his conduct for a few weeks now.

The flags are out on seats at the ground ahead of the clash, potentially in anticipation of celebratory scenes at full time. Villa can clinch Champions League qualification for the first time with a win tonight.

That could also have ramifications for the title race but we’ll get back to that in due course.

As I alluded to earlier, Liverpool’s record at Villa Park has been brilliant in recent seasons. The Anfield club have lost one of their previous 12 Premier League visits.

However, that result was the bizarre 7-2 in October 2020. And the Villa social media team are understandably keen to remind everyone of Ollie Watkins’ hat-trick on that day.

I’ll admit that this game looked like it would have far more ridding on it a few weeks ago. That shouldn’t detract from what will still likely be an engaging clash between Aston Villla and Liverpool.

It’s the final home game of the season for the Villans, who could secure their first-ever Champions League spot with a win, while the Midlands ground will be the last Jurgen Klopp will experience as a visting Liverpool boss.

The Reds have a superb record at Villa Park and we’ll be bring you all the key facts ahead of the 8pm kick-off. Then make sure you stay with us when the action gets underway!