Aston Villa return to Europa Conference League action on Thursday evening when they square off against Ajax in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
While Villa progressed through to this stage of the competition through winning Group E before Christmas, Ajax came through a dramatic playoff tie with Bodo/Glimt last month.
Match preview
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The priorities of Unai Emery may have changed over the course of this season, with Villa once being regarded as surprise Premier League title candidates before dropping off the pace.
Nevertheless, the West Midlands outfit remain very much in the running to win a European trophy as well as qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League.
Consecutive Premier League victories over Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Luton Town have opened up a five-point advantage over Tottenham Hotspur in the race for fourth position.
Ahad of this game, though, Villa have kept just one clean sheet in seven attempts, with that shutout coming against struggling Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
To reach this stage of the competition, Emery's team successfully negotiated a group that involved Legia Warsaw and Zrinjski Mostar, as well as another Dutch side in AZ Alkmaar who they defeated both home and away.
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With AZ sitting four points above Ajax in the Eredivisie table, that could be used as some sort of measuring stick, yet Ajax have shown that their unpredictability can be both their strength and weakness.
Going 16 matches without a clean sheet and posting one win in six meant that John Van't Schip's side were considered as underdogs in some quarters when facing in-form FC Utrecht at the weekend.
Instead, Ajax were able to respond with a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over a potential candidate for fifth place, with Van't Schip's side now back in the hunt for fourth.
In this competition, Bodo/Glimt was defeated in dramatic circumstances in the playoff round, with Ajax scoring two stoppage-time goals to draw 2-2 in the first leg before prevailing 2-1 in the reverse fixture in Norway through a goal six minutes from the end of extra time.
Team News
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Van't Schip must decide whether to stick with the unfamiliar defensive 5-4-1 formation that worked out against FC Utrecht at the weekend.
Jordan Henderson returned to feature in midfield, with more attack-minded players such as Carlos Forbs and Chuba Akpom having to make do with places among the replacements.
Each of the duo are in contention to return, although Steven Bergwijn remains sidelined through injury and Josip Sutalo is serving a ban.
With Jacob Ramsey suffering an injury against Luton at the weekend, Moussa Diaby could be recalled to the Villa XI, either on the left flank or in close proximity to Ollie Watkins.
Pau Torres and Lucas Digne are also options to return in defence ahead of Clement Lenglet and Alex Moreno respectively.
Ajax possible starting lineup:
Ramaj; Gooijer, Rensch, Kaplan, Hato, Sosa; Hlynsson, Henderson, Mannsverk, Taylor; Brobbey
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Lenglet, Moreno; Bailey, McGinn, Luiz, Tielemans; Diaby; Watkins
We say: Ajax 1-1 Aston Villa
With Ajax having finally kept a clean sheet at the weekend, Villa will have to show more respect to their opponents, who are hinting at an upturn in fortunes. Nevertheless, Villa feel like a more cohesive unit, and we are backing them to earn a share of the spoils in Amsterdam.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
