It is a fairly significant match for Aston Villa. Any fixture in the Premier League has to be taken with a high degree of seriousness. For Villa, when playing Crystal Palace, that becomes even more so the case.
While discussions behind the scenes continue to be ongoing, including regarding the potential future of Emiliano Martínez, the selection of Unai Emery for the EPL match against Palace is almost a fan service to the supporters.
Through the first pair of games, Villa supporters have wanted to see a more ambitious attack. For someone like Donyell Malen, who has not exactly seen the regular run of play that one would expect his form to warrant, and the potential and early, bright glimpses of Evann Guessand, it only makes sense for the boss to place those two into the starting XI. This is particularly true with the injuries in midfield that are forcing Emery to shift some players around.
Up top, Ollie Watkins will feature as the lone striker. Just behind the England international will be the aforementioned Malen and Guessand, with Morgan Rogers also supporting in the attack.
Opportunistic formation from Aston Villa
John McGinn and Youri Tielemans will form the holding midfield duo. From left to right, the backline will feature Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, and Ian Maatsen. In goal, Marco Bizot will get his second Premier League start, as Martínez is not on the bench for this affair. Instead, Sam Proctor will be the reserve keeper.
Although Palace are a good side in their own right, this formation is one that needs to be able to not only control a decent share of possession but also be able to capitalize and create a decent amount of chances. It appears that Emery wants to see Villa play with more confidence and a greater sense of boldness.