Preview: Aston Villa to visit Crystal Palace on Saturday

Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa will try for a second-consecutive Premier League victory when the squad travels to London for a date with Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Villa are fresh off a 2-1 home win over Everton but have lost central defender Diego Carlos long term in the process. The Brazilian suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in the victory and, after successful surgery, will miss most of the season.

Danny Ings and Emi Buenda scored in the win and Lucas Digne was credited with an own goal against his former club.

Palace are winless through their opening two matches having lost 2-0 to Arsenal at home on August 5 before drawing 1-1 with 10-man Liverpool at Anfield on August 15. Forward Wilfried Zaha is the only Palace player to score so far this season.

Despite Villa’s recent struggles playing in the nation’s capitol, they’ve had relative success against Palace since promotion in 2019, winning three, drawing twice, and losing only once. Last season, Villa won this fixture 2-1 on November 27. John McGinn’s 86th-minute wonder strike proved to be the winner.

Villa enter Saturday’s match having generated more expected goals (2.97) than every other club in the Premier League except Manchester City (3.98) and Arsenal (3.96). 

Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa team news

Villa will be without Carlos and fellow defender Kortney Hause, who returned to full training this week.

Gerrard, otherwise, has a healthy squad to choose from. Philippe Coutinho and Matty Cash picked up knocks against Everton, but are fit and ready for selection this weekend.

Buendia, who scored the winner against Everton as a substitute, is primed for his first start of the season. He’s likely to replace Coutinho in the No. 10 role behind forwards Ollie Watkins and Ings.

“Emi has been fantastic since the first day of pre-season, we are delighted with him and he is pushing for a start.” – Steven Gerrard on Emi Buendia

Jacob Ramsey, who recorded 10 progressive carries into the Everton box last weekend, will share an unchanged midfield with skipper John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara.

Gerrard’s big decision is which defender replaces the injured Carlos: Calum Chambers or Ezri Konsa. Chambers looked good in preseason before picking up a knock, but the Englishman is now fully fit and available for selection.

Palace will be without Jack Butland, James McArthur, and James Tompkins. Manager Patrick Viera may turn to Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise–neither of which started last week–in a bid to jumpstart his side’s attack.

Aston Villa projected Starting XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara; McGinn, J. Ramsey; Buendia; Watkins, Ings

Crystal Palace projected Starting XI: Guaita; Clyne, Anderson, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Schlupp; Olise, Eze, Zaha; Edouard

Date/time: Saturday, August 20 at 3:00 PM BST/10:00 AM EST

Ground: Selhurst Park

Referee: Andy Madley

TV/Streaming UK: N/A

TV/Streaming US: Peacock

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