Aston Villa have enjoyed a decent start to their 2023/24 campaign, despite suffering a 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United in their opening Premier League tie.
Unai Emery has assembled a side which could threaten the top six if they repeat their performances from last season, while following in the footsteps of West Ham United by perhaps claiming the Europa Conference League.
An away tie against Liverpool awaits the Midlands outfit this afternoon and considering the Anfield side aren’t at their flamboyant best, Emery’s men could claim a positive result.
Who has performed well for Aston Villa this season?
New signing Moussa Diaby has been particularly impressive in the Premier League so far, achieving a solid Sofascore rating of 7.63 across three matches while he is ranked first across the squad for goals and assists (three), shots on target per game (1.7) and big chances created (three), indicating that he is beginning to justify the club record £51.9m fee they splashed out on him.
Ollie Watkins is another who has begun the season brightly, scoring a hat-trick in their 5-0 win over Hibs in the first leg at Easter Road, and although he is yet to net in the league, the striker ranks third for shots per game (2.7) and first for key passes per game (2.3), proving that he is doing everything to get off the mark while creating chances for others.
Could Emery give youngster Jhon Duran a chance against Jurgen Klopp’s men this afternoon and give Watkins a rest following his recent exertions?
Will Jhon Duran start for Aston Villa vs Liverpool?
Villa signed the Colombian striker for a fee in the region of £18m in January from Chicago Fire as Emery looked to assert his own authority on the squad by adding some young talent to their ranks.
He secured the move after scoring eight goals and grabbing five assists in the MLS, and although he failed to score for Villa during the second half of the 2022/23 season, he still showed glimpses of his vast talent.
So far this term, the teenage sensation has scored once in the Premier League while succeeding with 100% of his attempted dribbles and 100% of his ground duels, albeit he has only averaged 13 minutes during his two matches thus far.
Still only 19, the forward has already made five appearances for Colombia, scoring once, and he could certainly give Emery something different whilst leading the line against Liverpool.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the youngster as “powerful” and an “aerial threat” while also stating that he is a “counter-attacking weapon” and this could give Emery the licence to unleash him in the starting XI.
Virgil Van Dijk is suspended for the tie and this could leave the Reds exposed slightly at the back. With Duran’s pace being a key weapon, the teen gem could dismantle them if given the chance.
It represents a huge opportunity for Villa to stake a claim as a team that will challenge for the top six this term and starting the Colombian could put a spanner in the works for Klopp.