Diogo Jota could be ace in the pack against Liverpool’s favourite opponent in history

October 4, 2020
Jack Lusby

Liverpool take on their favourite opponent in history this evening as they visit Aston Villa in the Premier League, with Diogo Jota looking to add to his tally at Villa Park.

Liverpool have won more league points against Villa (307) than against any other team (converting to three points for a win).

The only other club the Reds have broken the 300-point mark against is Everton (301).

They have also won more league games against Villa than against any other team (89) and scored the most goals (327).

At Villa Park

In the Premier League era, Liverpool have won 28 meetings and Villa 12, with 10 draws.

At Villa Park, the Reds have won 14 – as many as they have at home and more than they have won on any other Premier League ground.

They have lost four of the last 31 league meetings home and away.

And Liverpool have lost just one of the last 19 league visits to Villa Park – and won each of the last six (a club record at Villa) in the league since a 1-0 defeat in May 2011 (in which Stewart Downing scored for Villa).

Villa have scored only six goals at Villa Park in their last 18 league meetings with Liverpool.

They have not scored more than once at home to the Reds in the league since they lost 4-2 in November 1998 – that was the last time they scored at home in a second successive league meeting.

Salah’s milestones and Jota the ace

Mo Salah needs one goal to record 100 in his English club career and a hat-trick would see him record a century of goals for the Reds.

Jota scored in both of his Wolves appearances against Villa in the league in 2017/18. His goal at Villa Park came in a 4-1 defeat.

Villa on form

Villa have won each of their last three games at home – a feat they last achieved in the league under Martin O’Neill in October 2007 when they won four in succession.

Villa are the only team not to concede a goal in the top flight this season, though they have played only two games, beating Sheffield United 1-0 at home and winning 3-0 at Fulham.

They are unbeaten in the last six league games (four wins, two draws) since losing at home to Man United (3-0) in July.

They go into this game buoyed by keeping their first away top-flight clean sheet in 27 games.

This is only the third time Villa have opened a Premier League campaign with back-to-back victories following the 1999/00 and 1995/96 seasons.

Today’s referee

Martin Atkinson has taken charge of this fixture three times, with a win for each team and a draw – the last, in August 2009, saw Villa win 3-1 at Anfield.

He has issued five yellow cards in his three top-flight games this campaign, and sent off Alisson against Brighton last season.