Ollie Watkins decision revealed in five changes – Aston Villa predicted XI vs Lille
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(Credit: Imago) Ollie Watkins decision revealed in five changes – Aston Villa predicted XI vs Lille Wed 11 March 2026 18:29, UK Ollie Watkins looks set to be dropped by Unai Emery as Aston Villa take on Lille in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie on Thursday. Watkins’ disappointing season continued as he missed two big chances to score last week when Villa were thrashed 4-1 by Chelsea on home turf.Villa have failed to win any of their last four games across all competitions, but return to Europa League action this week with a trip to Lille in the first leg of their last 16 clash.Unai Emery’s side lost just one of their eight league phase games to finish second in the initial table, while Lille came 18th and saw off Red Star with a 2-1 aggregate win in the play-offs to set up this tie.Villa’s upcoming match could see Emery ring the changes due to their poor form, and Football Insider have predicted their starting eleven for the clash at the Decathlon Arena.Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media ⚽ Aston Villa Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Aston Villa fixture.
VISIT THE VILLA MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Aston Villa’s predicted starting eleven vs LilleWhile Emery has been forced to rotate his goalkeepers more often than he would have liked this season, Emi Martinez is currently match fit and will surely start this game in between the sticks.Ian Maatsen struggled to impress against Chelsea and could be replaced at left-back by Lucas Digne, while Matty Cash will expect to retain his place at right-back, given their lack of depth in that position.More rotation at the back may see Pau Torres replace Tyrone Mings at the heart of the Villans’ defence, with Ezri Konsa expected to keep his place next to the Spaniard.Emery’s midfield options look set to be shaken up after Chelsea overran them, as Lamare Bogarde potentially replaces Amadou Onana next to Douglas Luiz in front of the back four.Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers look set to keep their places in the side at number 10 and left wing respectively, but Jadon Sancho could be in line for a start on the right ahead of Leon Bailey, with his sole Villa goal being scored in this competition against Fenerbahce in January.Watkins’ poor form means he only deserves a spot on the bench against Lille, with Tammy Abraham potentially set to lead the line for Villa instead.How to watch Lille vs Aston VillaVilla travel to the north of France for Europa League action this week, with the game set to kick-off at the Decathlon Arena on Thursday, 12 March at 5:45pm.Viewers in the UK will be able to watch the match on the TNT Sports 1 channel, while it is available online on discovery+ UK, with coverage starting at 5pm.Highlights will be available on the TNT Sports Football YouTube channel after the game, as well as on TNT Sports 1 between 10:30 and 11pm.Exclusive offer: For a limited time, try Proton VPN Plus for a month for only £1.00.