Having fallen slightly off the pace in the Premier League title race, Aston Villa seek to revert to old ways when Burnley head to Villa Park for Saturday's clash of the clarets.

Unai Emery's men let a two-goal lead slip in a captivating 3-2 loss to Manchester United in midweek, while Vincent Kompany's men were seen off 2-0 by Liverpool on Boxing Day.

Match preview

Unai Emery cut a particularly agitated figure in his post-match interview at Old Trafford after witnessing his Lions side disintegrate at the Theatre of Dreams, where John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker capitalised on lackadaisical Red Devils defending to propel Villa into a 2-0 half-time lead.

However, a second-half brace from Alejandro Garnacho unexpectedly clawed Man United back into the contest, and having taken advantage of their hosts' set-piece frailties in the opening 45, Villa were undone by a late corner, where Rasmus Hojlund finally opened his Premier League account with a controlled volley.

As the ecstatic Scandinavian wheeled away in uncontrolled celebrations, Villa were left to bemoan an excruciating collapse as their 10-game unbeaten run in all tournaments came to an end, thus denying them the chance to rise above Arsenal into second place in the table.

Emery's side could now find themselves four points adrift of the Spaniard's erstwhile employers if the Gunners get the better of West Ham United on Thursday evening, and the hosts are out for two slices of redemption at Villa Park, where Sheffield United broke their astonishing 15-game Premier League winning run just before Christmas.

The Lions will need to bring an end to a more unsightly streak if they are to enhance their title credentials, though, as they are winless in nine fixtures when playing their final game of the calendar year at home, drawing four and losing five such contests since a 3-0 crushing of Fulham 20 years ago.

While Aston Villa have been picking up points at home for fun this season, Burnley's Turf Moor troubles remain well and truly alive, as evidenced by a two-goal beating at the hands of Liverpool on December 26 courtesy of Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota's efforts.

In between the Uruguayan's finish and the Portuguese's 90th-minute insurance goal, though, Burnley had briefly sprung into life as Liverpool missed chance after chance to put the game out of reach - even having two strikes chalked off - only for Vincent Kompany's men to leave the home crowd frustrated with their own lack of killer instinct.

Having been subjected to a rude awakening after an unexpected 2-0 success over Fulham, the 19th-placed Clarets cannot clamber out of the drop zone before 2024 rolls around - 17th-placed Everton are five points better off - and they could even end the year at the foot of the division if Sheffield United pull off a Manchester City giant killing.

Nevertheless, taking four points from a possible six in their last two road battles with Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion offers Burnley a flicker of hope - however miniscule it may be - and they have impressively avoided defeat in their last four trips to Aston Villa's home ground, but the Lions ran out 3-1 winners at Turf Moor eight months ago.

Team News

In the process of trying to stop a Garnacho goal which was later disallowed, Villa left-back Lucas Digne hurt himself and could barely put any weight on his leg as he was carried off the field; Emery subsequently confirmed that the Frenchman appeared to have damaged his hamstring.

Digne - whose spot will be taken by Alex Moreno - joins Emiliano Buendia (knee), Tyrone Mings (knee), Youri Tielemans (calf), Bertrand Traore (muscle) and Robin Olsen (knock) on the sidelines, while Boubacar Kamara is still serving his suspension.

In brighter news, Matty Cash is back from a ban of his own and could freshen up the XI, while a recall in the final third should certainly be in order for Moussa Diaby, but Emery has conceded that Pau Torres is still not ready to start.

In contrast, Burnley emerged from their loss to Liverpool unscathed on the physical front, leaving long-term knee victim Luca Koleosho, Hjalmar Ekdal (unspecified) and Jack Cork - whose calf injury should settle down in January - as the only three occupants of their treatment room.

Saturday's game will allow Villa's Jacob Ramsey to reunite with brother Aaron Ramsey, who only made one senior appearance for the Lions before being shipped out to the Clarets on a permanent deal this summer, although his last start came all the way back in September.

The 20-year-old will likely have to make do with another second-half cameo against his boyhood team, but Johann Berg Gudmundsson is knocking on the attacking door, having replaced Mike Tresor with just over an hour played against Liverpool.

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno; Cash, Luiz, Dendoncker, McGinn; Diaby, Watkins

Burnley possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Vitinho, O'Shea, Beyer, Taylor; Gudmundsson, Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni, Foster

We say: Aston Villa 3-0 Burnley

Not since 2010 have Villa managed to put Burnley to the sword at Villa Park, but with a few recent mistakes to rectify, Emery's Lions outfit should be backed to end that Clarets hoodoo on Saturday afternoon.

The last time the hosts did the double over the Clarets in the top flight, they obliterated their upcoming visitors 10-0 on home turf in the 1925-26 season. Such an emphatic margin of victory is surely off the cards here, but a rejigged XI should still make light work of Kompany's men.


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