Aston Villa can clinch their first UEFA Champions League berth in more than four decades on Monday, but they will have to get past Liverpool -- and their own recent dip in form -- to do so.
Villa sit in fourth place and come into the match with a four-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur, who beat newly relegated side Burnley on Saturday. They remain the favorites to finish in the top four with a 95.2% chance, per Opta, with the less-than-ideal string of results behind them, they hope. Liverpool, meanwhile, are officially out of the running in the Premier League's title race but could have momentum to send off Jurgen Klopp on a high as he approaches the end of his nearly decade-long spell with the Reds.
Here's what to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Monday, May 13 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Villa Park -- Birmingham, England
- TV: USA Network | Live stream: Fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Aston Villa +320; Draw +350; Liverpool -145
Storylines
Aston Villa: As the team with something to play for, one might expect the game state to favor Villa to some degree. Since they delivered a hit to Arsenal's title hopes in last month's 2-0 win, Villa have won just one of their last six games, potentially a sign that they are running out of gas after a long season. The most recent defeats came in the semifinals of the UEFA Europa Conference League, where they registered a 6-2 aggregate defeat to Greece's Olympiacos.
There are no new injuries to report for Villa, so expect top talents like Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash to be in the lineup. Watkins in particular will be amongst those tasked with reversing recent trends in attack -- Villa have not scored in their last two games but the fact that they have eight goals total in their last six should inspire some confidence, especially since Liverpool have been porous at the back at times this season.
Liverpool: The Reds' trophy haul this season will only be limited to the Carabao Cup, but as the end finally nears on Klopp's storied tenure in Liverpool, the team might be inspired enough to send him off in style. They may have just two wins in their last five, but last week's 4-2 win over Tottenham could be an example that a tired Liverpool might still have a little bit left in them for the last two games of Klopp's farewell tour.
Klopp's side have nine goals in their last five games and regardless of the combination of attacking talent he goes with on Monday, it's a sign that they could be on the scoresheet against a Villa team that have conceded 10 goals in their last five. Liverpool are nearly just as leaky in the back after conceding eight times during that stretch, though, reflective of their inconsistency over the last several weeks.
Prediction
Considering both teams' up-and-down form, this match is a hard one to predict despite the fact that the stakes are high for Villa and less so for Liverpool. Each side's inconsistencies might cancel each other out, but their ability to score and concede in almost equal measure means there could be plenty of entertainment in this one. Pick: Aston Villa 2, Liverpool 2
