Aston Villa head to the Gtech Community Stadium to take on Brentford in their second Premier League game of the season. It will be the sixteenth meeting between the two sides with each of them winning four and drawing seven. Both teams will be looking for their first win of the season having failed to do so in their opening matches.
Brentford Overview
The Bees come into the game off a 3-1 defeat away to Nottingham Forest. It was a poor performance with Brentford looking vulnerable at the back. Brazilian Thiago was able to get on the scoresheet with a penalty, but no one else really offered much else. Brentford looked like they missed the forward duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa who provided most of their goals and chances last season. Keith Andrews will be wanting somebody else to step up to provide a more attacking threat.
New signing Dango Ouattara will be in line to make his debut following his £42.5 million move from Bournemouth. Mikkel Damsgaard returns after missing the Forest game due to the birth of his child. Jordan Henderson could make his first start. Yoane Wissa will not be included in the squad with his inevitable exit still not agreed. Vitaly Janelt is still a doubt after suffering a heel injury in April.
Aston Villa Overview
Villa will be hoping for an improved showing after their lack-luster performance against Newcastle last weekend that ended 0-0. The Villans only recorded three shots throughout the entire game with none of them really testing Nick Pope in goal. New signing Marco Bizot was the only real positive from the game who was the reason Villa were able to hold out for a draw.
Emiliano Martinez returns from his suspension and is likely to slot back in goal, despite Bizot's strong debut. Andres Garcia has returned to training following his injury during pre-season and will probably make the bench. Ezri Konsa's red card against Newcastle means he will miss the game and Ross Barkley remains a doubt.
With Konsa missing, Boubacar Kamara could play alongside Tyrone Mings in defence, like he did after the red card. Although Emery could play Pau Torres and have two left-footed centre-backs. Morgan Rogers struggled to make an impact on the left, so a return to his favoured No 10 spot is likely. Villa certainly lacked width against the Magpies and mainly down the right. Donyell Malen deserves a start given his performances in pre-season, but Emery seems reluctant to start the Dutchman. However, Malen will add a more attacking threat than John McGinn did in that position.
Ollie Watkins has a fantastic record against his former club, scoring five goals and recording one assist in his last four games. The Englishman will be hoping he can add to that tally to kickoff his Premier League campaign.
