Brendan Rodgers takes his men to Villa Park as Liverpool face Aston Villa on Sunday. The reverse fixture between these sides saw the Reds lose 1-3 at Anfield, with Belgian striker Christian Benteke the star.

Daniel Sturridge
Reuters

Where to Watch Live

Kick-off is set for 1.30pm BST. Live coverage is on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD. Highlights are on Match of the Day 2 on BBC One and BBC One HD at 10.25pm BST.

Overview

Paul Lambert's men enter this game with a 3-2 win over QPR from before the international break. However, despite the win the Villans are struggling to ensure Premier League football next season. The club sits in 18th and in the relegation zone; they are level on points with Wigan Athletic but trail on goal difference.

The good news is Villa are on a two-game winning run, having beaten Reading in early March. And given the emphatic nature of their win at Anfield, they will be confident of a strong result on Sunday afternoon. A win will see them rise to 16th in the table and act as a major boost ahead of a run of games against tricky opposition like Fulham, Sunderland and Stoke City.

In addition, they must also face Manchester United and Chelsea before the end of the season. All of this means the final match of the campaign - at the DW Stadium - could be of tremendous importance.

Meanwhile, the Reds need a strong response following a shockingly poor 1-3 defeat to Southampton a couple of weeks ago. Rodgers is now 10 points of a Champions League place for next season and barring a miracle, it is unlikely Liverpool will make the cut. A place in the UEFA Europa League is equally difficult, with Arsenal, in fifth, eight points clear.

The defeat to the Saints highlighted the inconsistent nature of Liverpool's season so far. Prior to the loss the club won four games on the trot (in all competitions) and lost only twice in 10 league games. Three points from Villa Park, if Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and co can manage it, will go a long way in closing the six-point gap to local rivals Everton.

Lucas Leiva
Reuters

Team Form

Aston Villa

  • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): W W L L W
  • Last Match: Aston Villa 3 - 2 Queens Park Rangers

Liverpool

  • Last Result (all competitions, most recent first): L W W W W
  • Last Match: Southampton 3 - 1 Liverpool

Team News

Christian Benteke
Reuters

Villa striker Darren Bent could return after a foot injury but given the understanding Benteke and Andreas Weimann have built up, the England international will have to settle for a place on the bench. Liverpool old boy Charles N'Zogbia is likely to face his former club, after injury ruled Yacouba Sylla out of contention.

Probable Line-Up: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Baker; Westwood, Bannan, N'Zogbia; Agbonlahor, Weimann, Benteke

Spanish international and first choice goalkeeper Pepe Reina is back in contention after overcoming a calf problem. The Madrid-born shot stopper will likely come straight into the team. However, Rodgers is still without defender Martin Kelly, Italian striker Fabio Borini and ex-Swansea City midfielder Joe Allen.

Probable Line-Up: Reina; Johnson, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique; Lucas, Gerrard; Coutinho, Suarez, Downing; Sturridge

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