Aston Villa: Emery could forget Duran by unleashing “unstoppable” talent
Unai Emery’s side must win against Zrinjski this evening, and could make things a lot easier by welcoming one star back into the starting XI.
Aston Villa return to the Europa Conference League tonight, looking to earn their first points against current Group E leaders Zrinjski.
Unai Emery’s team were upset by Legia Warsaw in Poland last time out in the competition, falling 3-2 after a terrible defensive display that has landed them at the bottom of the group.
With plenty more challenges to come in the tournament, it’s imperative that the Midlands side get a result this evening, as Emery faces a challenge of squad selection due to injury and possible rotation.
What is the latest Aston Villa team news?
In his pre-match press conference, the four-time Europa League-winning manager revealed that his squad had been dealt a triple injury blow following their dominating 6-1 victory over Brighton.
Moussa Diaby, Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey are the latest victims of injury in the Villa camp, with one positive being that Leon Bailey has returned to the fold after a spell on the sidelines.
While the Villans have an extensive schedule ahead, Emery stressed that his side “must win” after the disappointing result in Warsaw, with Villa Park poised to push the squad over the line in what will be a theatrical night in Birmingham.
One aspect of squad selection that will be questioned taking into consideration the need to win is the level that the Spaniard will rotate his squad to, as he altered his defence, midfield and front line against Legia to little effect.
Should Ollie Watkins start against Zrinjski?
Against Legia, 19-year-old Jhon Duran led the line in place of Ollie Watkins, which was an element that worked strongly as the Colombian scored within six minutes of play.
There is, however, a claim for Watkins to start against Zrinjski, with the 27-year-old talisman in fine form after his impeccable hat-trick against Brighton in the league last weekend.
Former Brentford forward, once described as “unstoppable” by Premier League veteran Jamie Carragher, is the type of guy in the Villa squad who can virtually single-handedly affect the outcome of a game.
While Duran has demonstrated his ability in the final third, Watkins could ensure that no stone is left unturned at Villa Park, ensuring that his side secures a comprehensive victory to open their European adventure.
To back up Carragher’s previous plaudits, the £75k-per-week Englishman was genuinely unstoppable last time out, getting a flawless match rating of 10 and netting a hat-trick from just four shots on target.
Most notably, Watkins demonstrated how little he needs to score, registering only 41 touches during the game but made the most of his engagement count, recording five important passes and three goals from the intermittent involvement.
Emery and Villa are well aware that they must perform in front of their home crowd this evening, with their in-form striker holding all of the keys to not just unlock, but terrorize the opponent.
Despite winning their first game, Zrinjski conceded three goals against AZ Alkmaar from eight shots on target, but their ability to win the game with only 28% possession informed Villa everything they needed to know ahead of the match.
The manager could skip an attacking battle by restoring Watkins to the European starting 11, in a game that is a must-win for the hosts.
