Aston Villa will be looking to bounce back when they welcome Liverpool in their final home league game of the season. Liverpool have dropped off the title race but are sure to finish third, while Villa need a win to seal fourth spot. The hosts have been disappointing in their recent matches. Here they come with a four-game winless run, having lost each of their last three matches. The most recent one ended in elimination from the Conference League after a 2-0 away loss to Olympiakos. That defeat also marked the second straight game in which they failed to score. Failure to score is a new low for Villa, who have struggled to keep clean sheets all season. Ahead of this match, Villa have just one clean sheet in their last 10 matches across all competitions. They conceded two or more goals in five of their last 10 matches and their form against Liverpool won’t help. In the last seven meetings with Liverpool, Aston Villa remain winless.
Liverpool had a comprehensive 3-0 win over Villa in their last meeting, and they will be eyeing a double here. In this fixture, they’ve won six of the last seven meetings since suffering a 7-2 defeat. That run includes three straight wins on their visits to Villa Park. Liverpool marked a return to winning ways last time out, beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-2. That win only kept alive their hopes in the title race momentarily but all that is now gone. The consolation for the Reds is that they can’t finish lower than third, which guarantees them a Champions League spot. That will be welcome, having participated in the Europa League this season. Like Villa, however, they will be concerned about their defensive output. In the last 14 matches, Jurgen Klopp’s side managed just one clean sheet and in six of the last 11, they conceded at least twice.
Two sides still with something to play for will face off at Villa Park, each side seeking a win. The two sides haven't had great runs lately, and either will feel they can win here. With this mentality, we expect an exciting, goal-laden game. That, and their recent forms is a precursor for another high-scoring game. Our prediction for Aston Villa v Liverpool therefore is for both teams to score and over 2.5 goals.