Aston Villa vs Liverpool Picks and Predictions: Salah Rules Villa Park

The post-World Cup Premier League kickoff offers Liverpool a fresh start as they travel to face Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Still, the Reds have work to do to salvage this season after four losses and four draws in their first 14 games, with Jurgen Klopp’s men sitting in sixth place, seven points outside the Top 4. The clock is ticking.

Villa’s poor October form rivaled Liverpool’s struggles, but they rebounded impressively once Unai Emery replaced Steven Gerrard, with wins over Manchester United, Brighton, and Chelsea. The top half of the table is now within touching distance.

Check out our free Aston Villa vs. Liverpool picks and predictions ahead of this Monday, December 26 showdown.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool best odds

Aston Villa vs Liverpool picks and predictions

The World Cup effect is going to be a talking point throughout the rest of this season, with rest and rotation ahead for those players who reached the knockout rounds in Qatar.

But it also sets the stage for some monster performances from the big names who missed out on the World Cup party. A case in point: Mohamed Salah, who has had a month to look after his body and ramp up for Liverpool’s final 24 games of the Premier League campaign.

If anyone is going to be fresh and raring to go on Boxing Day, it’s the Egyptian. Salah was short of his best in September and October by his high standards, but he looked sharp in Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Manchester City on Thursday in the Carabao Cup, scoring the Reds’ second goal. I expect him to deliver a timely reminder here that he belongs in the conversation with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe when it comes to the world’s best attacking talents.

The service for Salah is a bit of a question mark, with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota ruled out, but he’ll have Darwin Nunez alongside him in attack and Thiago pulling the strings in midfield.

I’m betting on Salah, who’s also a top choice for penalties, to carve up a Villa defense that could be vulnerable without World Cup winner Emi Martinez between the posts.

My best bet: Mohamed Salah to score 2+ goals (+750 at bet365)

Aston Villa vs Liverpool side analysis

Liverpool travel to Villa Park as heavy favorites and, though Klopp’s men have recorded one win (and just five total points) from their six league games away from Anfield this season, I feel comfortable tossing aside those numbers as the Premier League kicks off again for what will seem like a “new” year. 

Look for Villa to bring the same compact, disciplined game plan that was so effective in Emery’s first weeks in the job — and the hosts have the advantage of relatively limited disruption from World Cup call-ups. I expect Villa to happily sit back and absorb pressure, relying on the pace of Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey as dangerous counter-attacking outlets.

Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson could be back in the starting lineup here for the Reds, solidifying the spine of the team for what could be a high-octane battle. Liverpool have won the last three meetings but all by a one-goal margin.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool Over/Under analysis

If Liverpool’s Carabao Cup performance on Thursday is any indication, we’ll get plenty of goalmouth action in this Boxing Day battle. Salah and Nunez have the pace and movement to stretch the Villa defense, while the Reds showed enough flaws at the back against City to suggest the hosts will get chances.

I’ll be watching the battles on the wings, where I expect most of the chances to be created. Emery can call on attacking full-backs Lucas Digne and Ashley Young while Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold (if he shrugs off an illness) are experts at timely overlapping runs. Liverpool should get joy down their right flank, with Alexander-Arnold and Salah teaming up against Digne.

There’s value in the odds for Over 2.5, with six of Villa’s last seven games cashing that in, and each of Liverpool’s last four games also featuring three or more goals. Plus, there should be some extra attacking spark on both sides after the lengthy break.

I’m leaning more towards both teams to score, with the hosts likely to settle for a point if the score is 1-1 heading into the final ten minutes.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool game info

Aston Villa vs Liverpool key injuries

Aston Villa: Emi Martinez GK (Out), Ibrahima Konate CB (Out), Jacob Ramsey CM (Out).
Liverpool: Trent Alexander-Arnold RB (Doubtful), Diogo Jota AM (Out), Luis Diaz (AM (Out), James Milner CM (Out), Roberto Firmino ST (Out).

Aston Villa vs Liverpool recent form

Teams	Last five matches
Aston Villa	W-W-L-W-L
Liverpool	W-W-L-L-W

Aston Villa vs Liverpool weather

The Monday forecast calls for partly sunny conditions at Villa Park with temperatures settling in the mid-40s.

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