Country: Wales
It’s the one the world’s been waiting for. The most talked about clash since Mayweather vs Pacquiao is coming to your screen for
Forget about Trump vs Biden or Pep vs Klopp. The fight of the week is Leno vs Emi.
In the red corner, our cold blooded, lederhosen wearing thoroughbred with a dodgy haircut who famously said after vanquishing Liverpool “I am the number one, I was always the number one.”
He is our Ivan Drago, a front runner who’s had superiority drilled into him before he could hold a Schnitzel.
In the claret & blue corner, the darling of AM and perennial underdog, it’s Emi “El Muro” Balbao. He bounced around Europe on loan before improbably turning into prime Buffon overnight and started in our FA Cup triumph before Arteta banished him to the Midlands.
A chance for both men to show why they should have kept the gloves against some of the top PL attacking footballers in Aubameyang, Grealish and erm... Ollie Watkins?
There are 20 other players involved beyond the keepers so let’s guess who we’ll put out.
With AMN starting tonight I’m expecting him not to play on Sunday so maybe we’ll see a back four with Gabriel and Mikel’s son Holding. Pray for no Mustafi.
Midfield I think Saka is a no brainer and I don’t see Lacazette getting benched after he didn’t feature tonight so dread it, run from it, Aubameyang on the left still arrives. Probably Pepe on the right as he outperformed Willian today.
As for Villa they’ve got some good firepower this year to back up Grealish. Spent big on Watkins and Bertrand Traore as well as an underrated midfield of McGinn and Douglas Luiz behind Ross Barkley.
Defence is iffy to me, not a fan of Mings and Konsa while promising has a gaff in him. Cash has been up and down as well. They’ve let in 7 in their last two games so they’re not exactly watertight.
Injury Doubts
Only Calum Chambers who’s been in first team training now for over two weeks after his year long absence but I’d be surprised if he features on Sunday.
Pablo Mari will return after the international break apparently and Gabriel Martinelli might be back just before the new year so barring any injuries from tonight it’s almost a clean bill of health.
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