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Premier League: Aston Villa vs Liverpool preview probable lineups, tactics, team news & key stats

The first of the four quarter-finals will be an all-Premier League affair, as Aston Villa play hosts to Liverpool at Villa Park, hoping to get past a much-changed Reds side. Football fanatics from around the world can obtain Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

Aston Villa has seen their form the nosedive in the last few weeks, having failed to win six of their last seven games dating back to the start of November. In the Carabao Cup, however, Dean Smith’s men have been rather impressive, with their gritty 2-1 win over Wolves in the Round of 16 notable among the three victories so far.

Liverpool, on the other hand, has been on a roll in domestic football this season, with only two sides managing to deny them an outright win in 90 minutes. One such result was the 5-5 draw in the previous round of the Carabao Cup, wherein the Reds prevailed on penalties.

Against Aston Villa, though, Liverpool will essentially be lining up with their under-23 players, after being put in a tricky situation due to their participation at the Club World Cup in Qatar. The first-team regulars are all set to begin their quest to become world champions on Wednesday, meaning a considerably weaker side will take the field at Villa Park.

Liverpool and Aston Villa have already locked horns this season, with the Reds coming from behind to prevail 2-1 last month in the Premier League. Ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the Carabao Cup encounter.

Team News & Tactics

Aston Villa

Dean Smith has a few pressing injury concerns hampering his preparations for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals meeting with Liverpool. On Tuesday, the Aston Villa manager is likely to be without four first-team players, with Tyrone Ming’s major absentee.

Connor Hourihane (knock) and Keinan Davis (thigh), meanwhile, are fighting a race against time to be fit enough to start against Liverpool. One confirmed absentee, though, is second-choice goalkeeper Jed Steer, who would likely have started the game, if fit.

With Tom Heaton expected to be rested, third-choice keeper Orjan Nyland should get a rare chance to impress, lining up in the Aston Villa goal. A number of other fringe players are likely to start as well, with Ezri Konsa and Neil Taylor getting an opportunity in defense.

Konsa should have Kortney Hause as his partner at the heart of the defense, with Ahmed Elmo Hamady completing the numbers in the backline, starting as Villa’s right-back. With Hourihane a doubt, Henri Lansbury could start once again, with Douglas Luiz sitting at the base of the three-man midfield.

Liverpool

Liverpool will not just have a change with respect to the players taking the field against Aston Villa, but also in the dugout. With Jurgen Klopp in Qatar with the first-team regulars for the Club World Cup, under-23 manager Neil Critchley will be in-charge on Tuesday.

Caoimhe Kelleher will line up between the sticks, as is customary for Carabao Cup fixtures. In front of him, there will be a few players who have previously taken the field for the first-team this season.

Ki-Jana Hoever will be deployed on the right side of the Liverpool defense, with Tony Gallacher likely to start on the opposite flank, seeing as Yasser Larouci is a major doubt. Sepp van den Berg is a certainty at the heart of the defense, where he is likely to be partnered by Morgan Boyes.

Up ahead in midfield, Pedro Chiaravalle will be the man under the spotlight, with the 22-year-old being tasked with providing the creative thrust from a deep-lying position in the middle of the park. Herbie Kane and Isaac Christie-Davies ought to accompany Chiaravalle.

The big concern is attacked surrounds the fitness of Rhian Brewster, who has been labeled as a doubt due to an ankle injury. Brewster is likely to start, though, leading the line for Liverpool, with Harvey Elliott and Luis Longstaff completing the three-pronged attack.

Key Stats

Tuesday will be the second instance when Aston Villa and Liverpool will be meeting in the League Cup, with the other coming at the same stage in the 2002-03 season. Liverpool won 4-3 on their way to winning the competition that season.

Aston Villa is looking to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign; the last Englishman to lead the Villains to the Last Four stage was John Gregory in the 1999-2000 season.

Aston Villa midfielder Henri Lansbury has more assists than any other player in this season’s EFL Cup (five), despite playing only two matches in the competition.

Player to Watch

Harvey Elliott

While Carabao Cup has always been seen by Jurgen Klopp as a breeding ground for youngsters, Tuesday’s quarter-final clash still feels as if the entire under-23 team will face Aston Villa. In such a scenario, Harvey Elliott becomes a senior figure in the lineup, having featured in the competition twice already.

The onus will, thus, be on Elliott to use his experience from the previous two rounds in order to guide an inexperienced side past Aston Villa. A true test of Elliott’s character and it will be interesting to see if he can thrive under added pressure.

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Premier League: Jamie Redknapp suggests 26-year-old is not good enough for Chelsea

Jamie Redknapp has suggested that Chelsea is in need of a better back-up striker than Michy Batshuayi. The Blues slumped to their fourth defeat in five Premier League games on Saturday when they went down 1-0 at home to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea has struggled to find consistent form in recent weeks and the form of Frank Lampard’s side has caused them to loosen their grip on fourth place in the table. Football fans from around the world can purchase Premier League Football Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

The west London side will be looking to bounce back to winning ways in the top flight when they travel to top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. Attentions will now also gradually turn towards the January transfer window as Lampard considers adding to his squad in the New Year.

And former midfielder Redknapp feels that Chelsea could do with a better back-up option than Batshuayi who has only started one Premier League game this season moving forward.

Jamie Frank Redknapp saying

Writing in his column for the Daily Mail Redknapp said: “As for Abraham he needs better back-up. Michy Batshuayi has not pretty cut it as an agent while Olivier Giroud is probable to leave in January so that he can get the game time he wants ahead of Euro 2020.”

He continued: Lampard may have already been planning to spend in January after their transfer ban was lifted but I wonder if their recent form forces his hand even more. I wonder if he will now look to bring in a bit of experience some tried and tested reinforcements who can relieve the pressure on Mason Mount and Abraham.

Those two have shown themselves as Chelsea’s saviors time and time again this season. Wherever would that club be currently without those two? Not fourth I can tell you that. Chelsea is currently fourth in the table but now only three points clear of next weekend’s opponents Tottenham Hotspur.

They will take on Southampton, Arsenal, and Brighton during the hectic festive period in the Premier League after this weekend’s trip to Spurs.

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Premier League: Chelsea boss Frank Lampard told why he should not sign players in January transfer window

Chelsea should wait until the summer to make any high-profile signings in order to show faith in their emerging young talent. Jermaine Jenas has urged Frank Lampard to avoid the temptation to spend after seeing his side’s transfer ban reduced in ahead of the January transfer window.

The Blues sit fourth in the Premier League table but are now only three points above Tottenham in fifth after a run of three defeats in four league outings. Football fans from around the world can purchase Premier League Football Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

Despite their worrying form former Tottenham and England man Jenas hopes Lampard shows trust in his current squad by ignoring calls to spend cash.

“Chelsea needs to decide what they want to be now for the next few years, Jenas told. They are a team that has won titles and always chased for titles but they’ve got a team full of very good young players who need a year or two to grow into a squad that challenges once more.”

Do you pitch all of those away and just buy actors? There is no fact.

Stick with it. Do not buy players, wait until the summer. Frank desires to retain this core group of players and let them grow and then finally they will challenge.

There is no point in panicking. It is ridiculous. Lampard opened up on his plans for January after being unable to add to the team in the summer and hinted that he will be active.

Lampard saying

“We want a top caliber of player to improve us, he said before Bournemouth’s win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. I am pleased with the team, but we have to aspect if we can. It is a combined energy scouting, board, I will acclaim players. I want performers to come in who famine to be a Chelsea player.”

After the news of the reduction in their transfer ban became public fans began to speculate over who the club could sign, with a deal for Nathan Ake a possibility. The Netherlands defender left Chelsea for Bournemouth in 2017 for a fee of £20million, but the Blues inserted an option to resign him for £40m in that deal.

It is whatever it is he has done extremely well at Bournemouth. As terms as the back four, I am very happy with the defense.

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