Predicted lineups: Aston Villa vs. Fulham - who could start for Cottagers, Villans?

Fulham come into their next Premier League clash against Aston Villa off the back of a mixed two weeks.

Victories in the Premier League over Coventry and Hull were of course hugely important and have taken a significant chunk of the edge off proceedings.

But a hugely disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup has taken the gloss off those two wins, and the Cottagers now come into a clash with an Aston Villa side who have very much found their groove.

Unai Emery, after yet another slow start to proceedings, appears to done it again and fixed things up, and after defeating Manchester City in the early kick-off last weekend, Villa will now host Fulham in the late Saturday kick-off this time around, looking to extend their winning run in the Premier League to three matches.

Villa rotated heavily in their 3-0 hammering by Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, and they will now, like Fulham, look to regroup in the Premier League.

But ahead of yet another important game, who do we expect to start for both sides?

After a few players were given the chance to play against Crystal Palace and largely failed to make any sort of impact, it seems Alvaro Arbeloa is unlikely to feel the need to change anything surrounding his preferred XI.

Bernd Leno will resume in goal, in front of a defence that is likely to consist of Timothy Castagne, David Affengruber, Calvin Bassey and Antonee Robinson.

Robinson’s form in particular has been called into question in recent weeks and he did not cover himself in glory against Palace, but with Ryan Sessegnon suspended after his red card against Hull, there are few other options for Arbeloa.

The fact that Sander Berge played the full 90 minutes and Hugo Larsson did not could suggest the Swede will start, but with the state the game was in, I have taken that decision to be one regarding Fulham’s need to have their best players on the pitch.

So, I expect we will see Berge and Shea Charles continue their budding relationship, behind a front four that will consist of Alex Iwobi, Josh King, Oscar Bobb and the out of sorts Gonzalo Garcia.

The Spaniard desperately needs a goal and Fulham will hope he can find it against Villa.

Fulham predicted XI: Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia

Like Alvaro Arbeloa, Unai Emery was not exactly given a difficult decision to make with the players selected against Bournemouth and so I imagine we will see very few changes from the side that beat Man City.

Zion Suzuki will resume his impressive season in goal, behind a defence thatis likely to consist of Pau Torres, Victor Lindelof, Matty Cash and Ian Maatsen.

Both Matteo Ruggeri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are injured, leavng Emery with few good options at full back.

Joao Gomes and Boubacar Kamara will surely continue in the pivot, with John McGinn, Johan Manzambi and Alysson set to play behind the in form Nicolas Jackson.

Aston Villa predicted XI: Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; Alysson, Manzambi, McGinn; Jackson