Match Today: Liverpool vs Aston Villa 26-12-2022 English Premier League

Aston Villa have a date against Liverpool at Villa Park on Boxing Day and both teams will be targeting the three points at stake.

Host Aston Villa hopes to reduce the four-point difference between the two teams. Entering the match, Liverpool occupies sixth place with 22 points and Via is in 12th place with 18 points. Unai Emery, the new Aston Villa coach, had enough time to settle in his position, after playing three matches before the World Cup break.

He will be looking to build on the two consecutive league wins he has scored. His side did not feature in the fourth round of the League Cup midweek and will be hoping to recover from just one win in four friendlies played during the World Cup window. In the competition, Villa have lost twice in their last five matches and their last six matches in the competition have scored more than one goal.

The team has conceded two or more goals in four of its seven competitive matches. The hosts will also want to work on their defensive side, having managed just two clean sheets in eight matches, although they can build on the fact that they have scored two or more goals in three of their last four league games. On the other hand

While Liverpool came from losing 3-2 against Manchester City in the League Cup, a match in which it was late twice before losing. That defeat came immediately after losing two friendlies during the month of the World Cup - against AC Milan and Lyon.

With their focus on the Premier League, the Reds will be keen to build on the two consecutive wins they had before the break only to lose twice in their last four league games. They have not had a clean sheet in four league matches.

Liverpool have only managed one away win in their league matches this season; They lost three of the six and kept a clean sheet. Coming from a 3-2 loss to Manchester City in the League Cup, a game in which they fell behind twice before losing.

That defeat came immediately after losing two friendlies during the month of the World Cup against AC Milan and Lyon. Liverpool have managed only one away win in their last six league matches. Liverpool have lost twice in four league matches. Aston Villa has scored a clean sheet in its last eight competitive matches. Liverpool have not had a clean sheet in their last four league matches. Aston Villa have recorded three wins in four home league matches. Liverpool have failed to score in one of their eight league matches.

And Aston Villa will miss its first goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, who is on extended leave after playing in the World Cup final. And the Argentine was named the best goalkeeper in the tournament, and after playing all seven matches, Villa allowed him extra days, making Swedish goalkeeper Robin Olsen the choice of Unai Emery.

The Spanish coach will also miss the injured Diego Carlos, while Philippe Coutinho will not have the opportunity to face his former team, as he is also on the sidelines due to injury. Liverpool have more concerns than Villa, as at least seven players are set to miss this match. Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Naby Keita were injured before the end of the World Cup, and they were joined on the sidelines by James Milner, who was injured in the loss against Manchester City, as well as Roberto Firmino, who was injured in training earlier.

Curtis Jones will also be absent, while Ibrahim Konate will return later after participating with France in the World Cup final. Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has been down with illness but could recover in time for this game while Virgil van Dijk is set to return after a long break after the 2022 World Cup.