Sethi: “Villa just don’t have that structural discipline” – Liverpool vs Aston Villa Preview | OneFootball

Liverpool v Aston Villa: Rival Recon Preview with Hari Sethi and Conan Doherty

Liverpool’s upcoming clash with Aston Villa promises to be a fascinating encounter, and no one breaks it down better than Hari Sethi and Conan Doherty on Rival Recon for Anfield Index. Their conversation offers valuable insight into both teams’ form, key battles, and tactical approaches. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game, with direct quotes from the podcast to guide you through the narrative.

Villa’s Form and Frustrations: “Inconsistency is the story” – Hari Sethi

Aston Villa’s season has been marked by inconsistency, as highlighted by Hari Sethi: “It’s just the inconsistency they’re offering all season,” he says, noting the team’s struggles to string together results despite flashes of brilliance. The defeat to Nottingham Forest was a sore point: “You’re two minutes away from an away win at Forest, and Martinez pings a ball back out he could have dealt with better — they lose the match.”

Sethi points to their wavering home form as a major concern: “They’ve played 13 games at home and only won six,” he observes, underlining their vulnerability even at Villa Park.

Key Battles: Salah vs. Digne and McAllister vs. McGinn

When discussing pivotal matchups, Conan Doherty highlights a familiar source of dread for Villa fans: “The Salah one always just brings a bit of dread… I don’t know what sort of left-back can match up with that.”

He reminisces about Villa’s past struggles against Mohamed Salah, noting that Lucas Digne, often considered their more defensive full-back, might be tasked with the unenviable job of containing the Egyptian forward.

Photo: IMAGO

In midfield, Doherty identifies another critical duel: “John McGinn should be playing in central midfield, so it’s going to be about how he deals with McAllister ghosting into those positions.”

Sethi warns that Liverpool’s Argentine midfielder could exploit Villa’s lack of defensive discipline: “Villa just don’t have that structural discipline they’re going to need against Liverpool.”

Marcus Rashford’s Revival: “He’s been Villa’s best player” – Conan Doherty

Aston Villa’s new signing Marcus Rashford has hit the ground running, as Doherty points out: “He was Villa’s best player in both games against Spurs and Ipswich.”

Despite facing struggling opponents, Rashford’s impact has been immediate: “He set up a massive chance against Ipswich with a nutmeg on the left wing before driving into the box and pulling it back for a shot that drew an unbelievable save.”

Sethi speculates that Rashford’s history against Liverpool could add some extra motivation: “I would buy into that narrative… a big rivalry against Liverpool, just play him. Who knows what’ll happen?”

Injury Woes and Defensive Disruption: “Their 10th centre-back pairing of the season” – Hari Sethi

Villa’s defensive struggles are compounded by injuries. Sethi runs through a daunting list of absentees: “Pau Torres is out, Ezri Konsa is out, Matty Cash is out, Barkley is doubtful, and Kamara, who was filling in at centre-back, is also out.”

Doherty emphasises the chaos in defence: “It’s their 10th centre-back pairing of the season,” he notes with concern. This instability could be a crucial weakness for Liverpool to exploit.

Photo: IMAGO

Stakes for Both Sides: “Champions League or Bust” – Hari Sethi

As the season reaches its climax, both Liverpool and Villa have everything to play for. Sethi captures the mood: “Liverpool’s consistency is still great, but there’s just a bit more of a stutter with them than there has been all season.”

For Villa, their hopes of Champions League football may rest on a remarkable finish or cup success: “Our best way of getting into the Champions League is winning the Champions League… or maybe the FA Cup, where we’re in the last 16 for the first time in 10 years.”

Final Word: Expect Drama Under the Lights

Both Sethi and Doherty agree that Villa Park, under the lights, could produce something special: “There’s always a bit of fever when two big teams come to town,” says Sethi.

“Liverpool might feel there’s never going to be a better time to play Villa with their injuries, but under the lights, midweek, it could be a proper battle,” adds Doherty.