Aston Villa v Fulham: Midfield battle could be key as Emery looks for more home comforts

I wasn't particularly downbeat about Aston Villa's Carabao Cup exit against Bournemouth on Wednesday evening, although I do think it makes Saturday's Premier League game against Fulham slightly more important, because if Villa can follow up that excellent victory over Manchester City with another three points at Villa Park, I suspect the disappointment of midweek will be forgotten about fairly quickly.

The Bournemouth performance was poor and I don't think anybody particularly played themselves into contention for Saturday, but there has to be some perspective given the number of changes Emery made and the fact that several of those players were playing together for the first time.

With Barcelona waiting for us in the Champions League on Tuesday, there will naturally be questions about rotation, but I actually think Wednesday was the opportunity to rest the majority of the players who will start against Fulham. The Premier League remains hugely important, particularly after Villa worked so hard to recover from their difficult start to the season, and I would be surprised if Emery moved too far away from the side that performed so well against Manchester City.

Fulham are an interesting opponent because although their results haven't been particularly impressive overall, they've won their last two Premier League games and I do think they've been unfortunate in certain matches this season. I watched some of their game against Manchester United and thought they deserved more from it, while their defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday was another frustrating result for a club whose supporters have become accustomed to seeing them fall short in cup competitions.

I found the appointment of Alvaro Arbeloa quite strange given his relatively limited experience as a senior manager, although you can understand why Fulham were attracted to somebody who had worked within Real Madrid's system. They've certainly leaned into that connection with their recruitment, bringing in several players from Madrid, including Gonzalo García, who is an interesting young striker but somebody who still has plenty to prove at this level.

I wouldn't write García off because he's still developing and there are obvious differences between leading the line for Real Madrid and playing for Fulham, but I do wonder whether they've paid a considerable amount for potential rather than somebody who is going to immediately transform their attacking output.

One area where I think they've recruited particularly well is midfield, with Hugo Larsson and Shea Charles both players I rate highly. I've liked Larsson since his time at Eintracht Frankfurt, and he's a technically accomplished, intelligent midfielder who offers plenty in both directions, while Charles provides a more physical presence and the defensive security that Fulham's back four probably needs.

It's an interesting combination and, in some respects, reminds me of the balance you might get from Boubacar Kamara and Leon Goretzka, although I expect Villa to go with Kamara and João Gomes on Saturday.

I think that midfield battle could be crucial because Fulham are likely to approach the game very differently to Manchester City. Against City, Villa were able to play quite narrowly and exploit space in transition, but I don't envisage Fulham allowing us those same opportunities, particularly if Arbeloa sets them up in an organised mid-block.

Villa will need the patience of the defenders and the movement of the midfielders, because I can imagine there will be periods where Villa are standing on the ball, waiting for Fulham to engage before trying to play through their defensive structure.

I also think Johan Manzambi could be particularly important in this fixture, because his ability to receive possession in tight spaces and manipulate the ball is something that should become increasingly valuable against teams who defend in a compact shape.

He's already become one of the players I most look forward to watching at Villa Park, and although there will inevitably be periods where his performances level out, I've been hugely impressed by how quickly he's adapted to the team.

There were times when Morgan Rogers could become frustrated in these sorts of games, particularly when he wasn't finding space centrally, but Manzambi is a different type of player who seems more willing to move into different areas to get involved. I don't envisage him getting lost in a game where Villa are struggling to find openings, and I actually think he could be the player who makes the difference.

Nicolas Jackson will also have to adapt to a different challenge after his outstanding performance against Manchester City, because I can't imagine Fulham giving him the same space to attack. His ability to drop deeper, link the play and bring others into the game could be just as important as his movement in behind, particularly if Villa need to find different ways of breaking through Fulham's midfield.

Formation: 4-2-3-1

                        Suzuki

Cash – Lindelöf – Pau Torres – Maatsen

             Kamara – João Gomes

Alysson – McGinn – Manzambi

                  Jackson

Substitutes: Bizot, Bogarde, Mings, Barkley, Goretzka, Hemmings, Mbaye, Buendía, Madjo.

I expect Emery to return to something very close to the side that beat Manchester City, with Suzuki coming back in goal and Cash, Lindelöf and Pau Torres forming three quarters of the defence. I've gone with Ian Maatsen at left-back because I think Villa need a natural option in that position, particularly against an opponent where we're likely to have plenty of possession and need our full-backs to contribute in attacking areas.

Kamara and Gomes would be my midfield partnership, and I've been encouraged by the improvement in Kamara's performances recently, while Gomes is starting to look increasingly comfortable in this Villa side. I thought he was one of the few players who emerged from Wednesday's defeat with much credit, and having those two together should give Villa the balance to deal with Fulham's midfield while allowing the attacking players to operate further forward.

I've kept Alysson on the right after his excellent performance against Manchester City, although I did consider Mbaye for this particular fixture. There is an argument for using Mbaye against a team that is likely to defend a little deeper and saving Alysson for Barcelona, where his pace and directness could be particularly useful in transition, but I think he deserves to retain his place after what he produced last weekend.

McGinn and Manzambi complete the attacking midfield three, although I would expect plenty of movement and interchange between them, particularly if Fulham make it difficult for Villa to progress through central areas. Manzambi has already demonstrated how effective he can be when drifting into different positions, while McGinn's intelligence and experience should help Villa maintain control of the game.

Jackson leads the line after his two goals against Manchester City, and although Saturday will present a different challenge, I think we're starting to see the benefits of having a striker who can contribute in several different ways rather than simply relying on getting in behind defenders.

Ultimately, I think Villa have more than enough quality to win this game, and with Fulham still trying to find consistency under Arbeloa, it's another opportunity to build some momentum in the Premier League before attention turns towards Barcelona.

There is plenty to look forward to over the coming days, but three points on Saturday evening would put Villa in a very encouraging position, and after what we saw against Manchester City, I'm looking forward to seeing whether Emery's side can deliver another strong performance under the lights at Villa Park.