Aston Villa lineup vs. Bournemouth: Predicted XI for Premier League clash

Aston Villa are set to be without up to five players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Youri Tielemans (ankle), John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara (both knee) and Andres Garcia (thigh) all remain sidelined as they continue to recover from injury. New recruit Alysson (knee) is also set to miss out despite returning to training this week.

Star striker Ollie Watkins missed last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat against his former club Brentford with a hamstring strain, while Amadou Onana watched on as an unused substitute with muscle fatigue. However, head coach Unai Emery has since revealed that both players are available for selection this weekend.

If Watkins is not deemed ready to start, then new signing Tammy Abraham is expected to continue up front, with Morgan Rogers operating just behind in the number 10 role - Rogers’s seven Premier League goals have been worth 11 points to Villa this season and no other player’s goals have been more valuable to their team than Brentford’s Igor Thiago (also 11) this term.

Jadon Sancho and Emiliano Buendia are both expected to start again out wide as Leon Bailey and Harvey Elliott provide cover on the bench, while Onana could link up with new recruit Douglas Luiz in centre-midfield, with Lamare Bogarde potentially making way.

A back four of Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Paul Torres and Ian Maatsen is set to remain intact in front of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, but ex-Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings, Victor Lindelof and Lucas Digne will all be pushing for a recall.

Aston Villa possible starting lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Luiz; Sancho, Rogers, Buendia; Abraham

> Click here to see how Bournemouth could line up for this contest