First-team coach Aaron Danks is expected to take charge of the Aston Villa squad this weekend for their Premier League match against Brentford. This game will mark the beginning of Aston Villa’s new era without former captain Steven Gerrard.
Gerrard was stripped of his responsibilities after the team’s loss to Fulham on Thursday, which ended with a score of 3-0, and Brentford will come into this encounter on the heels of a goalless draw with Chelsea the previous night.
Our Match Preview: Aston Villa vs Brentford
The 3-0 loss against Marco Silva’s Fulham team on Thursday was the last straw for Gerrard, who was terminated following the game.
Gary McAllister, Neil Critchley, Tom Culshaw, Jordan Milsom, and Scott Mason all quit on Friday, with first-team coach Danks taking command against Brentford.
“The process of hiring a new head coach is begun,” stated the club’s CEO Christian Purslow.
The team hopes a change in the dugout will assist them on Sunday as they attempt to rebound from back-to-back losses to Chelsea and Fulham. Their last win came at home to Southampton on September 16.
Two victories, three draws, and six losses in 11 matches have left Villa in 17th place, tied with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Villa is the joint-second lowest scorers in the Premier League with seven goals, but they’ve only lost one of their previous three league games at Villa Park and held Manchester City to a 1-1 draw in front of their home fans in September.
Brentford will want to take advantage of Villa’s circumstances this weekend after beating Chelsea on Wednesday.
Thomas Frank’s team had plenty of chances to beat Chelsea but found Kepa Arrizabalaga in good form. They’ll be searching for their first away Premier League win of the season on Sunday, having picked up only three points in five games so far.
Brentford is 10th in the standings with 14 points from 11 matches, five points ahead of their opponents.
Frank’s club finished 13th in the Premier League in 2021-22, and they appear capable of staying there. Brentford hasn’t lost to Villa since 1953, winning 2-1 in London last season and drawing 1-1 at Villa Park.
Our Team News: Aston Villa vs Brentford
Since Douglas Luiz received a red card in Thursday’s loss to Fulham, Villa will have to play without him in that match.
Meanwhile, injuries prevent any participation from Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara, Lucas Digne, or Ludwig Augustinsson on Sunday.
It’s possible that Matty Cash, Emiliano Buendia, and Leander Dendoncker will all start this game, but Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings will continue to man the forward positions.
This weekend, Brentford will be without Pontus Jansson, Thomas Strakosha, Aaron Hickey, and Christian Norgaard.
However, the Bees did not suffer any new injuries against Chelsea on Wednesday night, so it seems likely that they will start the same lineup as they did in their last game.
While Shandon Baptiste is making the most noise about making the team, Frank Onyeka should still start in the middle of the field if the team sticks to a 3-5-2 shape.
Ivan Toney, who is just 26 years old, has already scored eight goals in the Premier League this season, and he will be partnered by Bryan Mbuemo once again in the attacking third.
- Aston Villa Possible Starting Lineup: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, McGinn, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins, Ings.
- Brentford Possible Starting Lineup: Raya, Jorgensen, Mee, Pinnock, Rasmussen, Onyeka, Janelt, Jensen, Henry, Toney, Mbuemo.
Our prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Brentford
While Brentford has only won twice in front of their supporters in the Premier League this season, Villa has only won twice in front of their fans in the Premier League this season. Brentford has drawn three of their five away Premier League matches this season.
The departure of Gerrard should prompt a response from the home side, but Brentford has the firepower to salvage a draw from this encounter.