Returning heroes and Villans
Aston Villa are the Premier League’s form side over the past 18 fixtures, earning 43 points – three more than league leaders Arsenal, with Manchester City a point further back and no other team in sight.
Nonetheless, Villa are now accruing key injuries almost as quickly as points. In the space of four games, first-choice midfield trio Boubacar Kamara, 2024–25 player of the season Youri Tielemans and captain John McGinn all sustained long-term injuries.
Amid such rotten luck and severe financial constraints, manager Unai Emery has opted for a crowd-pleasing approach – Sunday’s game will be a homecoming for re-signed fan favourites Tammy Abraham and Douglas Luiz, as well as winger Leon Bailey, recalled from loan at Roma and whose last league start at Villa Park came a year ago.
The latter two signings fill the vast void left by Tielemans and McGinn, while Abraham provides the traditional centre-forward option more suited to Villa’s system than the departed Donyell Malen.
All three new recruits have had their own injury issues in recent years and Emery is gambling on their fitness and form. As a loanee, Abraham scored 26 goals – all from 15 yards out or less – to help Villa earn promotion in 2019, while Luiz and Bailey were standout performers for much of the 2023-24 season as the Birmingham side finished fourth.