Having seen their game against Newcastle postponed last week, Aston Villa finally make their return to Premier League action when they travel to Wolves for the Saturday lunch-time kick-off.
Dean Smith’s side have had to stew on back-to-back defeats for the past couple of weeks, and will no doubt be itching to put things straight. Villa have got a couple of games in hand on the sides above them in the table, and a win against Wolves would go a long way to regaining the impressive momentum they had built up in the early weeks of the season.
Below is a look at just how Villa might line up for the clash on Saturday.
As has been the case all season, Smith is likely to stick to a tried-and-trusted back-line of Emiliano Martinez in goal, and the likes of Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett in front of him.
Douglas Luiz and John McGinn are also likely to retain their places in midfield, but with Ross Barkley still not back to full fitness after picking up a hamstring injury in the game against Brighton, Conor Hourihane may finally come out of the shadows to play, armed with his “weapon” of dangerous set-pieces.
That could see talisman Jack Grealish keep his place on the left, whilst Smith may also want to tread cautiously over Trezeguet’s fitness given the Egyptian’s injury trouble in recent weeks – that could see summer signing Bertrand Traore start on the right.
And up top, Ollie Watkins will look to keep up his excellent start to life at Villa Park.
Predicted XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, McGinn; Traore, Hourihane, Grealish; Watkins.
