Previews

Reds keen to build on win

Author: John Harris
Date: 24/08/2009
Football betting

Two teams of whom much is expected lock horns at Anfield on Monday night when Liverpool play host to Aston Villa.

Last season's Premier League runners-up and sixth-placed finishers are both expected to compete for Champions League places again this term.

But following mixed starts to the new campaign, both find themselves off the early pace set by the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham at the top of the fledgling table.

Can Liverpool show they are title contenders by beating Aston Villa at Anfield? - Latest Football Betting

The Reds followed an abysmal opening weekend performance at Spurs when they lost 2-1 with a 4-0 demolition of Stoke City on Wednesday.

But Rafa Benitez's side still have plenty of improvement to make and have a host of injury problems to contend with, particularly in a backline which was weakened by the departure of Sami Hyypia this summer.

Daniel Agger has been stricken again with a back problem which requires surgery, while fellow centre-half Martin Skrtel has a cracked jaw.

That means new £2million signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos is likely to be pitched straight into the action following his arrival from AEK Athens.

Fernando Torres also suffered a heavy blow in the Stoke match - leaving him bloodied and with a black eye - but the Spain international is expected to be okay to lead the line.

Villa got their campaign underway with a surprise 2-0 loss to Wigan Athletic on home soil.

Although not disastrous, the midweek 1-0 Europa League play-off round first leg defeat to Rapid Vienna was also hardly a welcome result for the Midlands club.

Martin O'Neill will be hoping the loss of the influential Gareth Barry and Martin Laursen does not have a long knock-on effect.

O'Neill is likely to be without the services of man-mountain Wilfred Bouma. New signing Stewart Downing could be out until Christmas but full-back Luke Young could recover from a thigh muscle strain to make the trip to Merseyside.

However, Liverpool remain strong favourites in the online betting markets to win this encounter.

That's because last season's meeting of the sides at Anfield ended in a 5-0 rout of Villa as a hat-trick from captain Steven Gerrard ripped the visitors to shreds.

The earlier clash at Villa Park had ended in a dour goalless draw. Villa haven't beaten the Reds on Merseyside since 2001 and have lost on five of their last seven visits to Anfield.

BET NOW