High-Flying Aston Villa Take On Ipswich Town in Premier League Clash
Aston Villa will look to extend their winning streak to six games across all competitions as they travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town on Sunday. The Lions secured a spot in the EFL Cup fourth round with a midweek 2-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers, while Ipswich have had a week to prepare after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Southampton.
Match Preview
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, known for his success in cup competitions with Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain, saw his second-string side make hard work of Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup, but two second-half goals sealed the deal. Jhon Duran started and scored after Emiliano Buendía's header, and Wycombe’s late goal wasn’t enough to stage a comeback.
Villa's busy schedule continues after their visit to Ipswich, with crucial home games against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premier League looming. Emery’s men have been in impressive form, coming from behind to win their last two Premier League matches against Everton and Wolves, securing third place in the table, just one point behind leaders Manchester City.
Aston Villa have also shown strong form away from home, winning both of their Premier League road games this season against West Ham and Leicester. If they can defeat Ipswich, Villa will achieve three consecutive away wins in the Premier League for only the second time in their history, having previously done so in 2020-21.
Meanwhile, Ipswich Town have had an unusual start to their season. After losing their first three games, they’ve drawn their last three, including a last-minute equalizer from Sam Morsy in their 1-1 draw with Southampton last weekend. Despite finding their footing, Ipswich are still searching for their first win of the season and sit in 17th place.
Ipswich’s head-to-head record against Villa offers little comfort, with three defeats in their last four meetings. However, the Tractor Boys haven’t faced Aston Villa since 2019, when they held them to a 0-0 draw at Portman Road in the Championship. Ipswich have not beaten Villa at home since 1992.
Team News
Aston Villa received positive injury updates with Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara set to return after the international break. However, John McGinn is sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Diego Carlos and Jaden Philogene also remain out. Full-backs Lucas Digne and Matty Cash are doubtful.
Jhon Duran continues to push for a starting spot, but Ollie Watkins, who has been involved in 53 Premier League goals since Emery's arrival in November 2022, is likely to lead the line. Only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah have been more prolific during that period.
For Ipswich, Kalvin Phillips missed the Southampton game with a minor thigh issue but is expected to feature against Villa. Harry Clarke and Nathan Broadhead have returned to training, so Ipswich should have a fully fit squad. However, Phillips may not start, with Sam Morsy and Jens Cajuste expected to anchor the midfield.
Possible Lineups
Ipswich Town: Muric; Tuanzebe, O'Shea, Greaves, Davis; Cajuste, Morsy; Ogbene, Szmodics, Hutchinson; Delap
Aston Villa: Martinez; Bogarde, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins
Comments
Post a Comment