Unai Emery is eagerly anticipating the challenge of facing Premier League leaders Liverpool on Wednesday. His Aston Villa team will host Liverpool, who are currently seven points ahead of second-placed Arsenal. Despite a spirited performance by Wolves in their last match, Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory at Anfield, thanks to goals from Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah.

Emery praised Liverpool as the best team in Europe but remains focused on the task at hand. "We are excited, how we will face them," Emery stated. "Now, Liverpool, they are the best team in Premier League, they are the best team in Europe and of course being very difficult. Our challenge tomorrow is how we can face them, how we can respond with our qualities against them, how we can play in this level trying to get confidence for ourselves. But we are excited, and hopefully we can share tomorrow an exciting moment with our supporters in Villa Park."

Liverpool's impressive form makes them favourites for this encounter. The Opta supercomputer backs them due to their strong performances and head-to-head record against Villa. In their last 14 Premier League meetings with Villa, Liverpool have won 11 times. However, Villa did secure a memorable 7-2 victory at Villa Park in October 2020.Aston Villa recently experienced a frustrating 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town, leaving them ninth in the league standings. Emery acknowledged the disappointment but emphasized learning from that match. He noted that Ipswich defended well and provided valuable insights for future games.Ollie Watkins is a key player for Aston Villa against Liverpool. He has scored five goals against them in his career but hasn't found the net in his last four encounters with Wednesday's visitors. Watkins has been more successful against Brighton and Arsenal.Mohamed Salah continues to shine for Liverpool this season. With 14 goals and nine assists away from home, he has set a new record for goal involvements on the road in a single Premier League campaign. Salah is also close to becoming only the third player to assist 10 or more goals away from home. Villa's recent form has been inconsistent, but they aim to improve against Liverpool. Emery stressed the importance of setting high standards while accepting setbacks along the way. He believes facing Liverpool presents an opportunity to test their abilities and gain confidence.

Match Outlook

Liverpool's away record this season remains unblemished (W9 D4), making them formidable opponents on the road. They aim to become only the sixth team to avoid defeat in their first 14 games of a top-flight campaign since its inception.The last seven meetings between these teams at Villa Park have averaged nearly five goals per game. This trend suggests another high-scoring affair could be on the cards when they meet again on Wednesday. Liverpool's chances of winning are bolstered by their consistent scoring ability at Villa Park. They have scored at least twice in each of their last seven visits there (20 goals total). Last season's fixture ended in an entertaining 3-3 draw. As both teams prepare for this crucial clash, fans can expect an exciting encounter filled with attacking football and potential drama at Villa Park.