Aston Villa
Predicted Aston Villa XI vs Man Utd: Smith to make one change, 27-yr-old to start
Aston Villa host Manchester United in the Premier League later today and will hope to build on their impressive win over Everton last time out. Dean Smith’s men are currently 11th in the Premier League table after suffering a dip in form in the second half of the season. The fans will want a strong finish to the campaign, but their recent head-to-head to record against United suggests they will have their work cut out today. Villa have failed to beat the Red Devils 36 times in their last 38 meetings, and they will be facing a United team that is high on confidence. United have been impressive on their travels in recent weeks, keeping a clean sheet in five of their last seven away Premier League games. United recorded a 2-1 win over Villa earlier this season, but the hosts will be look...
Villa star reveals vile abuse from season ticket holder that made him quit Twitter
Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi quit Twitter following a torrent of abuse he received for missing a chance against Everton last season. The winger was in full support as the footballing world boycotted social media platforms last weekend as a pledge to cut out online hate, racism and other forms of discrimination, and he is hoping that such protests will help bring change and sanity to the internet. El Ghazi scored just four Premier League goals last term but has already doubled that tally this season, playing a huge role in Villa’s attempt to break into the European places. The Dutchman has bagged match-winning goals against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and Everton this term and will be keen to keep impressing going forward. El Ghazi’s lack of consistency for Villa attracted v...
Aston Villa and Everton have made enquiries for 22-yr-old midfielder
Aston Villa and Everton are thought to be keen on signing the Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumaré. The 22-year-old has established himself as one of the most exciting midfield talents around Europe right now and the likes of Leicester City are thought to be interested in signing him as well. According to footmercato, the Foxes are currently leading the race to sign Soumaré this summer but the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Everton have made enquiries for the player as well. Soumaré was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League at the start of the season as well and it remains to be seen whether his suitors can bring him to England next season. The Frenchman can operate as a central midfielder and in a holding role. He has the potential to develop into a world-class...
Journalist claims Villa are leading the race for defender Liverpool & Solskjaer want
Aston Villa are leading the race for Dundee United defender Kerr Smith, according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon. Aston Villa. Lead race for young Scott Kerr at Dundee United. Man U Liverpool Leicester and Southampton all had a look. — Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) May 9, 2021 Manchester United, Liverpool, Leicester City and Southampton are also interested in signing the 16-year-old. However, it appears that he is keen on moving to Villa Park ahead of other places this summer and a deal in the region of £500,000 could be sealed in the coming weeks. Smith has played thrice for Dundee in the Scottish Premiership this term, and that is very impressive given his age. Villa are looking to have one of the best youth teams in England, and have recently made some top recruitment to that effect. W...
Leeds make contact with young defender’s club, Celtic in the race as well
Fleetwood Town teenager Josh Feeney has recently attracted plenty of interest from Premier League clubs. According to Daily Mail, Leicester City, Leeds United and Aston Villa have all contacted the League One club regarding the talented defender. Scottish giants Celtic are thought to be keeping tabs on the 16-year-old who has already made his mark in Fleetwood’s first team. He has also been called up for international camps by England and Scotland at under 16 level. SL View: An impressive future prospect Feeney is rated highly by the League One club and has a big future ahead of him. His suitors will be hoping to snap him up this summer for a reasonable price and nurture him into a first-team star over the next few seasons. The report from Daily Mail adds that Celtic could have an advantag...
Key Leeds duo on the bench, Spurs star keeps place, Blues midfielder ruled out
The 35th round of fixtures in the Premier League features some crucial matches at both ends of the EPL table. We’ll update this story with reports, results, highlights and the latest Premier League standings throughout the weekend. The action got underway on Friday evening as Leicester City went head-to-head with Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium. The Magpies upset the odds with a superb 4-2 victory – Callum Wilson (2), Joe Willock and Paul Dummett got the goals. Leeds United ran out comfortable 3-1 winners at home to Tottenham Hotspur – Stuart Dallas, Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo were on the scoresheet. Christian Benteke and Eberechi Eze were on target as Crystal Palace triumphed 2-0 at Sheffield United. Manchester City will have to wait to clinch the title after losing 2-1 at hom...
Sergio Aguero apologises after embarrassing penalty miss vs Chelsea
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero has issued an apology for his penalty miss against Chelsea. Aguero made a hash of his Panenka effort on Saturday, spooning the kick straight into the arms of Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. It was a surprising slip from the usually unerring Argentine, but it was in keeping with a torrid season for the Premier League leaders from 12 yards out and contributed to a 2-1 defeat that prevented City from claiming the title. City boss Pep Guardiola refused to criticise the forward following the game, but Aguero has taken to Twitter to issue an apology. “I would like to apologise to my team-mates, staff and supporters for missing the penalty,” Aguero wrote. “It was a bad decision and I take full responsibility.” Aguero’s Panenka nightmare was the fourth penal...
Aston Villa planning opening bid for 21-year-old winger with seven goal contributions
Aston Villa are planning an opening bid for Burnley winger Dwight McNeil ahead of the summer transfer window, a report from Football Insider claims. The Midlands outfit have had a fine season in the top-flight, and they are currently on course to finish in the top half of the table. The club’s owners have spent a combined £235 million on signings in the last two summers, and there could be another spending spree. The Villans are planning to strengthen the wide attacking department, and it is claimed that McNeil is one of the top targets on their wishlist. The club are prepared to make an early-window bid of £15m, but the offer is likely to be rejected with McNeil having three years left on his contract. Sportslens view: The Villans are expected to be without Trezeguet for a lengthy pe...
Aston Villa offer Villa Park as alternative venue for Champions League final
Aston Villa have offered up Villa Park as a potential venue for the Champions League final, with doubts surrounding the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul. With Manchester City and Chelsea sealing their places in the final this week, attention has turned to the finale. Both English clubs are set to receive 4,000 tickets each, with UEFA targeting a return to normality with fans in stadiums. However, it is not yet guaranteed that English fans will be able to travel to Turkey, with the UK government set to announce their guidelines for the next easing of lockdown. Turkey is also still in a state of lockdown. There are also other logistical problems, with English fans needing to pay for COVID-19 tests before flying to another country. With all the complications surrounding the planned venue, Vil...
Premier League releases statement about return of fans
The Premier League have released a statement regarding the return of supporters to stadiums. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom in early 2020, all football in the country was postponed in March and did not resume until June. The end of the 2019/20 season was played behind closed doors. The 2020/21 campaign began in September, with all games still being played in empty stadiums. Fans briefly returned to certain grounds in December, but they were soon shut again. Arsenal fans in attendance in their fixture against Burnley in December The Premier League hoped that spectators would be able to attend the last two games of the season. Now, they have reaffirmed that ambition in a statement via their official website. They have confirmed that subject to a government decision,...
‘Form is temporary, class is permanent’ – Some Villa fans hail 27-yr-old’s display vs Everton
Aston Villa picked up an impressive 2-1 win over Everton in the Premier League last night. A late goal from Anwar El Ghazi was enough to hand the visitors a much-needed three points. Dean Smith’s side were going through a rough patch in the Premier League, but the result will give them the confidence to finish the season strongly. There were quite a few impressive performances for Villa, but Ross Barkley was outstanding for the visitors against his former club. The 27-year-old has been on loan from Chelsea this term and has been heavily criticised in recent months for his dip in form. However, the attacking midfielder showed his quality against Everton, and the fans will be hoping that Barkley can build on this performance. With Jack Grealish still sidelined, Barkley took on the creative r...
‘Maybe in the future’ – EPL star talks potential Celtic move after 2018 attempt failed
Aston Villa star John McGinn has opened up on his failed Celtic move in 2018, revealing that he and his family were disappointed that a deal fell through. Brendan Rodgers was keen on bringing the Scotland international to Parkhead from Hibernian, and the Hoops went in with their opening bid. It was not enough to convince the Easter Road outfit, and Celtic refused to return with a fresh bid in time. McGinn was growing weary of the delay and opted to join Villa after Hibs accepted their £3 million offer. The Hoops eventually matched the English side’s bid, but it was too late as the midfielder had already made up his mind to move to the Midlands. McGinn helped Villa seal Premier League promotion at the end of his debut season, scoring six goals in 40 Championship games. The 26-year-old has s...
