Aston Villa

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Unai Emery arrives at this fixture with his squad stretched between domestic top-four ambitions and continental glory. After a run of three losses in their most recent league outings, culminating in their home defeat to Tottenham, Villa have found it difficult to replicate their earlier-season domestic consistency while preparing for European warfare. Their 4-1 aggregate Europa League semi-final win over Forest has earned them a place in the final. Regardless of their fate in that fixture, they'll be looking to secure a continental spot via the domestic route.

Liverpool

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Arne Slot's Liverpool arrive at Villa Park level on points with their opposition in this encounter (59) knowing that a win here would essentially guarantee their Champions League qualification regardless of the season's final day. Their 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford was their most damaging recent result, and the subsequent stalemate with Chelsea at Anfield has not bettered their chances. Away at Villa Park, which has been a hostile environment for visiting sides all season, they carry the need, the quality and the collective motivation of a club for whom Champions League football next season is the absolute baseline expectation.