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The Boxing Day action continues on the day Premier League football resumes as Liverpool travel to face Aston Villa. After six weeks without top-flight fixtures due to the World Cup, these two sides will be looking to hit the ground running as they get the second part of the season underway.
For Liverpool it has to be a fast start, after they spent Christmas sixth in the table and 15 points off the pace set by Arsenal. Jurgen Klopp’s side were nowhere near their best in the first few months of the season, but the talk after their recent camp in Dubai is of positive steps being made. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both start for the visitors.
As for Villa, they won both of their Premier League matches after Unai Emery’s arrival, including on home soil against Manchester United. They’ll be hoping to pick up from where they left off, though will have to do so without Emi Martinez who is yet to return from the World Cup. Robin Olsen starts in his absence. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s LIVE blog below!
Live updates
2 mins: Not exactly a convincing start from Liverpool.
Villa burst forward, played down the middle to Watkins who finds space in between the centre-backs. Gets an effort away at goal, comfortable save for Alisson though.
At the other end Robertson puts a brilliant low cross in for Nunez, he’s completely free but opts to dummy instead. Had to go for goal.
KICK-OFF!
A minute’s silence is observed ahead of kick-off, in memory of 1966 World Cup winner George Cohen.
We’re underway for the penultimate Premier League match on Boxing Day.
Here we go!
Teams are out onto the pitch at Villa Park.
Brilliant atmosphere as ever, with McGinn and Henderson leading their sides out. Kick-off coming up next!
Plenty of Liverpool players with points to prove. Alexander-Arnold after not really featuring at the World Cup, Oxlade-Chamberlain making a rare start and Nunez looking to really settle in after his summer move, to name a few.
This is a tough first match back for the Reds, against a Villa side full of confidence and roared on by their home fans.
Emery and his players will move to within a point of Liverpool with a win here.
Emery’s pre-match thoughts
“We want to play each match doing our best, not thinking about our targets at the end [of the season]. We’re thinking about each match – three points is our target.
“I know better our players, we were working over some issues [during the World Cup] and getting to know each other. Today is about how we used the break to improve.”
Not long now!
Warm-ups almost done, kick-off coming up in 15 minutes.
There’s been at least three goals in every Premier League match so far – no pressure guys…
Liverpool have to fix away day woes
Liverpool are 14th in the ‘away Premier League table’ so far this season, winning just once on the road in the league.
Three draws and two defeats apart from that victory over Tottenham, so this will be a real test for them this evening.
Villa have only lost twice at home – Emery and his side will be confident.
Klopp on challenge facing his side
“I think what you can expect is that Unai stands for a specific kind of football and was really successful and did an incredible job at Villarreal, not only there but now recently there.
“What you saw in the first few games they played and the games we could see in this ‘pre-season’ now, it looks quite similar because it is a good way to play and it’s his way and it’s how he wants to organise a team.
“So, yes of course we don’t know exactly what to expect, like you never know exactly what to expect, but at least we have an idea how they will try to cause us problems. So, that’s what we prepare for.”
As it stands…
Liverpool go into this match seventh in the table, 15 points off the pace set by Arsenal.
They’re eight points behind Spurs in fourth, though they do have two games in hand over Antonio Conte’s side.
Villa are 12th as it stands, but victory this evening would lift them up into the top half.
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