Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Aiming to extend their Premier League victory to three games under Unai Emery, Aston Villa return to the top tier at home to Liverpool on Boxing Day.
Meanwhile, the Reds are back in the running from the World Cup break as their EFL Cup defense ended in a 3-2 loss to Manchester City in the fourth round.
For Steven Gerrard, Boxing Day won't be at Liverpool, but the Unai Emery era has started well and the Lions want a third win from three games with Arsenal and Villarreal Chief at Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion last month.
liverpool football club
Losing to the Red Devils in the EFL Cup is a trivial game on the Spaniard's mobile, but back-to-back successes in the top group saw Aston Villa reach 12. Place to move up the standings - five points ahead of the bottom three and only a possible top-half.
With Emery still struggling with his new group of players, it was no surprise that Aston Villa played a total of four friendlies during the World Cup, despite only picking up one victory in that order - on December 11, they beat Chelsea 1-0.
Aston Villa football club
On other occasions, the Lions have equalized 2-2 with Brighton against Cardiff City and Emery's former employers Villarreal and the Spaniard wants to become the first Aston Villa manager to win each of their first three games of championship.
Only two of the guest's last nine Premier League games at Villa Park have ended in defeat, with the Lions at home in three of the last four Top League games, but Liverpool have already won a taste for goals after their return to professional football.
