Bournemouth vs Aston Villa: Premier League Team News and Confirmed Lineups
The Vitality Stadium is set for a crucial Premier League encounter as AFC Bournemouth host Aston Villa this afternoon, with both managers revealing their starting lineups ahead of kick-off.
Villa Make Four Changes as Watkins Returns
Unai Emery has responded to last week's surprising 1-0 home defeat to Brentford by making four alterations to his Aston Villa side. The most significant change sees striker Ollie Watkins reclaim his starting position, having recovered from a hamstring injury that sidelined him. He replaces Tammy Abraham, who drops to the bench.
Emery has also reintroduced Amadou Onana to the midfield after the player overcame muscular fatigue. In defence, Lucas Digne and Tyrone Mings both come into the starting eleven, adding experience to the backline.
Notably, Harvey Elliott is absent from the matchday squad entirely, despite featuring in Villa's previous two fixtures. This omission follows Emery's public appeal to Liverpool regarding the midfielder's obligation-to-buy clause, which was unsuccessful. Whether this is a tactical decision or a pointed statement remains a topic of discussion.
Bournemouth Aim for Top Half Push
For Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth, today's match represents a significant opportunity. A victory could propel the Cherries back into the top half of the Premier League table, reigniting their own aspirations for European qualification next season.
The home side have named a strong lineup, with Petrovic in goal and a forward line led by Evanilson. They will be looking to capitalise on any lingering uncertainty in the Villa camp following their recent setback.
Confirmed Starting Lineups in Full
AFC Bournemouth Starting XI: Petrovic (GK); Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert; Cook, Scott; Rayan, Kroupi, Adli; Evanilson.
AFC Bournemouth Substitutes: Mandas (GK), Brooks, Christie, Milosavljevic, Smith, Diakite, Unal, Toth, Gonzalez.
Aston Villa Starting XI: Martinez (GK); Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Onana, Luiz; Sancho, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins.
Aston Villa Substitutes: Bizot (GK), Proctor (GK), Lindelof, Maatsen, Pau, Bogarde, Bailey, Barkley, Abraham.
With kick-off imminent, both teams understand the importance of this fixture. For Villa, it's about rediscovering their momentum in the race for Champions League football. For Bournemouth, it's a chance to stake a claim amongst the league's upper echelons. All eyes are now on the south coast for what promises to be a compelling Premier League contest.
