Aston Villa side to face Crystal Palace at Villa Park:

TEAM NEWS

Reina (GK)

Defence:

Taylor

Hause

Mings

Konsa

Midfield:

Luiz

McGinn

Hourihane

Trezeguet

Grealish

Striker:

Samatta

 

On the bench for Villa:

Nyland, Lansbury, Nakamba, Targett, El Ghazi, Jota, Guilbert, Elmohamady, Davis.

MATCH PREVIEW

Well, we are now officially in last chance saloon.

Last orders have been rung, the barman is stacking tables on chairs and Aston Villa are staggering towards what appears to be a Premier League exit.

It’s not quite over yet, despite damaging wins for both West Ham and Watford, Villa are just about clinging on.  The chances of us getting out of the drop-zone are increasingly remote, but there is still a chance.

Palace arrive to Villa Park off the back of four straight defeats.  Our form is nothing to write home about, but this is the first realistic opportunity since Newcastle to take full points.

Embed from Getty Images

As frustrating as the defeats to Wolves, Liverpool and Man Utd, were, they were after-all, rather predictable.

We’ve compiled the 25 key facts and stats ahead of the game at Villa Park.  You can see them here.

Villa need to approach this game with the kind of fight that has been sadly lacking all season, let alone following the restart.  Whilst we are now firm outsiders to stay up, it would merely compound our embarassment to slip out of the league without at least trying.

Any defeat against Palace would merely be considered a stay of execution.  A draw the same.

Win and we at the very least make the next couple of fixtures have something riding on them.  If by some miracle results go our way, we could at least give ourselves a thread of hope to cling onto for the fortnight ahead.

Crystal Palace, therefore, simply must be beaten.  Nothing else will suffice.

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