Fresh from winning their Europa Conference League group, Aston Villa are back in Premier League action on Sunday, when Brentford welcome Unai Emery's team to the Gtech Community Stadium.

The Lions progressed in Europe thanks to a 1-1 draw away to Zrinjski Mostar in midweek, while the Bees have a few wrongs to right after losing 1-0 to Sheffield United last weekend.

Match preview

After admitting that Brentford's current injury crisis is unlike anything he has ever faced in his managerial career, Bees head coach Thomas Frank was subjected to another painful afternoon at Bramall Lane, where returning Blades boss Chris Wilder masterminded a narrow triumph over their ravaged visitors.

With only a couple of minutes remaining in the first half, James McAtee curled home a spectacular winner from range to propel Sheffield United to just their second top-flight victory of the campaign, while also condemning Brentford to their fourth loss from five games during a frightening festive spell.

A 3-1 win over newly-promoted Luton Town - albeit a thoroughly dominant one - has been Brentford's sole saving grace over the past five gameweeks, and Frank's side have been cut adrift of the European-chasing pack as a result, currently languishing in 11th place as one of four teams to boast 19 points from 16 games.

Defeat to the Premier League's basement team may have set off a few alarm bells, especially as that one-goal defeat marked a sixth game without a clean sheet, but Brentford could have been forgiven for falling short against Brighton & Hove Albion and the current top two in Liverpool and Arsenal.

Frank's side can take solace from the fact that three of their last four Premier League games at the Gtech Community Stadium have seen the Bees emerge triumphant, and only a couple of brilliant goal-line clearances denied them a point against Arsenal, who were the victims of a record-breaking Villa home victory last weekend.

Exacting a sweet slice of revenge over the club who made him jobless four years ago, Villa's inspirational leader Unai Emery could not shake hands with his successor Mikel Arteta on the touchline due to his compatriot's ban; instead, the Spaniard punched the air in exultation as the Lions roared to a 15th league home win on the trot.

Just three days on from a phenomenal one-goal success over Manchester City, who were played off the park at Villa Park, Emery's team got the job done against Arsenal by the same scoreline courtesy of John McGinn's early effort, which saw Villa set a new record for successive league wins in front of their own fans.

Now with just a one-point gap to make up to Arsenal and a two-point disadvantage to current leaders Liverpool, third-placed Aston Villa have firmly enhanced their title credentials with successive wins over last season's top two, and victory at Brentford coupled with defeats for the Gunners and the Reds would see Emery's men remarkably finish the weekend atop the pile.

The Lions also celebrated progression to the Europa Conference League last 16 in midweek by playing out a two-goal stalemate with Bosnia's Zrinjski, but their overall road form is an unpleasant sight compared to their wonderful home sequence, as Villa have a mere three wins to show from their last 12 Premier League contests away from home.

Previously familiar foes in the Championship, Villa have just the one win to show from their four Premier League meetings with Brentford - a 4-0 West Midlands crushing last October - and the Bees have gone unbeaten in five home games against the Lions since falling short in a 1953 FA Cup tie.

Team News

While the result did not go their way, Brentford boss Frank would have been relieved to see no more of his troops sustain injuries against Sheffield United, where no fewer than nine players were not available to the Bees coach.

Ivan Toney is still suspended for another few weeks, while Josh Dasilva (thigh), Mathias Jensen (groin), Bryan Mbeumo (ankle), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Rico Henry (knee), Kevin Schade (groin) and Kristoffer Ajer (foot) will all return at various points after Christmas.

However, one small piece of good news arrives in the form of Nathan Collins's return to training, and the centre-back may be given the thumbs-up to make his comeback here, but it is far from a guarantee.

As for Aston Villa, their historic beating of Arsenal came at a cost on the disciplinary front, as Lucas Digne and Douglas Luiz were both cautioned for the fifth time in this season's Premier League and must sit out Sunday's match through suspension.

The fit-again Alex Moreno will be a straight swap for Digne at left-back, and Emery has a few options to ponder regarding the Luiz dilemma; Leander Dendoncker and Jacob Ramsey are like-for-like replacements, but John McGinn could also revert to a deeper central role, opening the door for Matty Cash or Moussa Diaby to start.

Robin Olsen (unspecified), Bertrand Traore (muscle), Emiliano Buendia (knee) and Tyrone Mings (knee) are all set to miss out again, while Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans both missed the draw with Zrinjski and have been listed as doubtful by Emery.

Brentford possible starting lineup:
Flekken; Ghoddos, Pinnock, Mee, Roerslev; Onyeka, Norgaard, Janelt; Damsgaard, Maupay, Wissa

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Moreno; Cash, Kamara, Ramsey, McGinn; Diaby, Watkins

We say: Brentford 1-2 Aston Villa

Brentford would do well to capitalise on Villa's fatigued legs and double suspension blow, but Emery has well-rested options for change all over the shop, including an Ollie Watkins desperate to show his former club what they are missing.

The Lions' powers often wane away from their Villa Park base, but with Brentford hit with significant attacking and defensive absences, we have faith in Emery's rejigged side to prevail by the narrowest of margins.


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