Liverpool host Aston Villa on Sunday in a pivotal Premier League matchweek 10 fixture, as Arne Slot's side aims to halt a poor run of form. The Reds sit seventh, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, while Villa have won their last four league games to draw level on points with Liverpool.
Liverpool's title defense faces mounting pressure ahead of their home clash with Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday, November 2. The champions started the season with five straight wins but have since endured four consecutive defeats, their joint-worst sequence in the Premier League era, leaving them seven points adrift of Arsenal and in seventh place.
Aston Villa, under Unai Emery, are in strong form with four successive Premier League victories, including a 2-0 win over Manchester City, lifting them level on points with Liverpool but behind on goal difference. However, Villa have struggled at Anfield, remaining winless there since September 2014 and earning just one point from their last seven visits.
Arne Slot has acknowledged challenges with squad depth following a 3-0 EFL Cup defeat to Crystal Palace. He rowed back on critical comments, stating, "I am completely happy with the players at his disposal." Slot added, "I am completely convinced by the strategy and the policy that we have but that makes the issue -- if you call it an issue -- is not all of them have had a proper pre-season or have been injured. When three or four are injured you go back to 16 players."
Injuries will impact Liverpool, with Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones confirmed out; Ryan Gravenberch is in line to return but reports vary on his ankle status. For Villa, Youri Tielemans is sidelined with a calf issue.
A win for Arsenal earlier at Burnley could open a 10-point gap at the top. Liverpool's schedule intensifies afterward with a Champions League tie against Real Madrid and a trip to Manchester City, heightening the stakes against a confident Villa side.