Preview: Nashville SC vs Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

Wrapping up their summer trip to the United States, Aston Villa will meet MLS high-flyers Nashville SC at Geodis Park on Saturday.

After securing a first win of pre-season, the Villans are bound for Tennessee, as the new Premier League campaign draws ever closer.

Match preview

In the second contest of a three-match US tour, Aston Villa edged out St Louis City on Wednesday, with attacking stars Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins both finding the target for a second straight game.

Taking one step closer to their competitive return, the Birmingham club celebrated an overdue first win of the summer, having previously lost to Walsall and Hansa Rostock before drawing 2-2 with Eintracht Frankfurt.

After starting pre-season with a team full of youngsters, Unai Emery has since welcomed back all of his first-team regulars, despite speculation surrounding the future of Rogers, Watkins and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Before Villa head back across the Atlantic, they will seek another morale-boosting success this weekend, in addition to topping up their fitness and rhythm.

Then, following next week's friendly with Roma, Emery's men must tackle Marseille and Villarreal before starting their league season at home to Newcastle United.

Founded less than a decade ago, Nashville have yet to make a big impression on Major League Soccer, and they even failed to make the playoffs last season.

They have, though, put a slow start to the current campaign behind them, losing just two of their last 16 MLS matches and surging up the Eastern Conference standings.

Former USA interim boss BJ Callaghan seems intent on turning the Coyotes into title contenders, but they suffered an increasingly rare setback last time out.

After winning seven from eight across all competitions, Callaghan’s side slipped to a 1-0 defeat against San Diego at Snapdragon Stadium.

Still, they sit third in the table, boasting the joint-best home record in either Conference, having conceded just eight goals in 12 league games at Geodis Park.

Nashville SC form (all competitions): W W L W W L

Aston Villa Club pre-season form: L L D W

Team News

Continually linked with a move away, Aston Villa's number one Emiliano Martinez finally made his first start of pre-season on Wednesday, displacing new boy Marco Bizot, so the Argentina star should continue between the posts.

John McGinn also returned to take the captain's armband, while there was a first start at right-back for young Triston Rowe. Unai Emery is expected to name a strong XI again, but some rotation will be required to give more minutes to fringe players.

Ross Barkley and Andres Garcia have been left back in Birmingham due to injury, while Alex Moreno and Leander Dendoncker are both set to depart; forwards Lewis Dobbin and Zepiqueno Redmond could leave on loan.

Meanwhile, Nashville are still missing Taylor Washington and USA winger Tyler Boyd, but influential defender Walker Zimmerman recently returned to action.

Formerly of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, English striker Sam Surridge has starred in the Coyotes' attack this term, scoring 20 goals so far.

Nashville SC possible starting lineup: Willis; Najar, Zimmerman, Palacios, Lovitz; Muyl, Brugman, Tagseth; Mukhtar, Surridge, Perez

Aston Villa possible starting lineup: Martinez; Cash, Bogarde, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Malen, Rogers, McGinn; Watkins