Aston Villa face Leeds United in their first match back from the international break this weekend. This game starts a run of the Whites’ most difficult league fixtures this season.
In the next four games, Leeds face Chelsea, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City. Daniel Farke reportedly needs to get some points on the board from these games or face being sacked. The Whites failed to get points from their last two games against Brighton and Nottingham Forest and will now face their biggest task this season.
| Statistic | Aston Villa | Leeds United |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 13 | 10 |
| Goals Conceded | 13 | 20 |
| League Position | 6th | 16th |
| Clean Sheets | 4 | 2 |
Aston Villa and Leeds United are experiencing completely different seasons; the Whites have been on a nosedive over the last month, while Unai Emery’s side have turned their campaign around. Villa have won eight of their last 10 games in all competitions, while Daniel Farke’s side have four losses in their last five.
Three Leeds United players set to be dropped against Aston Villa
Leeds are in a position where they need points on the board more than ever; they are currently just one point above the relegation zone after recent poor results. But Farke has never been one to sit down and be content with results. After a poor run of form earlier this season, he decided to make big changes to the lineup, adding Brenden Aaronson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor. Against Aston Villa, he might do the same with his job on the line.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
If the last game against Forest was anything, it showed that the team can play without Calvert-Lewin. Lukas Nmecha came in and made an impact, scoring the first goal. It may be time for the German forward to get a run in the team as the focal point, and Calvert-Lewin can come off the bench within that period.
Jaka Bijol
The Slovenian has been in the lineup for the past three games, and defensively, Leeds have not gotten any better. The Struijk-Rodon partnership was great at the start of the season, and Farke should return to that ahead of this tough run of games. Bijol has been a disappointing summer signing so far.
Lucas Perri
The Brazilian has shown flashes, but this season has been mixed overall. He has made some errors, and sometimes looks too slow to react to danger. Karl Darlow has proven a fine deputy in the absence of Perri and should be trusted in goal this weekend.
Facing Aston Villa is going to be a very tough task; Unai Emery’s men recently beat Manchester City at home. The game is going to be hard, and it is times like this that you revert to players you trust in your starting XI.
Karl Darlow and Pascal Struijk should replace Lucas Perri and Jaka Bijol for this upcoming game, and maybe the team could see some results.
| Statistic | Lukas Nmecha | Dominic Calvert-Lewin |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 2 | 1 |
| Big Chances Missed | 2 | 6 |
| Minutes Played | 279 | 615 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 2.17 | 2.02 |
Up top, the key change should see Dominic Calvert-Lewin move to the bench; it is time to try other strikers up top. It is not that the trio mentioned have been bad this season, but their current performances have shown they should not be permanent fixtures in the lineup. Going with something more consistent in these upcoming games could prove the difference between getting a result and getting battered.
