Aston Villa begin life without Jack Grealish on Saturday when they travel to Vicarage Road to play Watford. The Villans play the newly-promoted side on Matchday 1 of the 2021-22 season and they will hope to start the season in good form to give them the momentum needed to push for a better outcome than last season’s 11th place finish in the table.
Villa have easy fixtures, at least on paper, to start the Premier League campaign as they will face two of the three promoted sides in the opening three games. But the main aim will be to get the new signings to gel and Smith will hope other players can step up in the post-Grealish era.
Here’s the possible Aston Villa lineup for the game against Watford.
Early Team News
Dean Smith won’t have the services of several first-team players as they are currently sidelined due to injury. Midfielder Morgan Sanson and winger Trezeguet will both not be available due to knee injuries, while fellow midfielder Douglas Luiz hasn’t returned yet as he played for Brazil in the Olympics. New signing Leon Bailey is currently isolating and won’t make it for Saturday’s game.
Striker Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Buendia will likely undergo late fitness tests ahead of the Watford game.
Goalkeeper
Emiliano Martinez, who helped Argentina to the Copa America title, will start between the sticks for Aston Villa.
Defence
Tyrone Mings should lead the Villa defence, with Ezri Konsa likely to start alongside him in the Aston Villa lineup. The Villans have signed Axel Tuanzebe on loan from Manchester United and he could be an option off the bench.
Matty Cash and Matt Targett should start at right-back and left-back, respectively. Ashley Young could be an option off the bench on either wing or further forward as a winger as well.
Midfield
The absence of Luiz and Sanson means that Marvelous Nakamba should start in midfield for Villa. John McGinn will be the driving force in central midfield and look to make box-to-box runs.
Youngster Jacob Ramsey could take up the role on the left side of midfield in the Aston Villa lineup.
Attack
If Watkins is not available for Saturday’s game, new signing Danny Ings should start up top for the Villans. Bertrand Traore should start on the right side of the attack, while Anwar El Ghazi should start on the left in the Aston Villa lineup.
Buendia could be an option off the bench if he is passed fit, while youngster Jaden Philogene-Bidace could also be brought on from the bench to play on the left-wing.
