Aston Villa and Liverpool open the penultimate Premier League round with a direct clash in the fight for Champions League football. The teams arrive level on points, but Liverpool sit above Villa because of their better goal difference.
Friday night fixture details
The match takes place at Villa Park on Friday, May 15, 2026. Kick-off is set for 8pm BST.
UK viewers can watch the game on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event. Coverage begins at 7pm BST, while Sky Sports subscribers can follow the live stream through Sky Go.
One result could almost settle the race
Both clubs still have a small mathematical chance of catching third-placed Manchester United, but the immediate aim is to lock down a Champions League spot before the final weekend.
A win would give either side full control of the situation. A draw may also be enough for both, though official confirmation would depend on Bournemouth’s result against Manchester City next Tuesday.
For Villa, the match comes at a difficult moment in the calendar. Emery’s side also face Freiburg in the Europa League final five days later, meaning the coach must balance league pressure with a major European final.
Emery faces selection problems before kick-off
Villa’s 2-2 draw with Burnley kept the Champions League race alive and left Emery with a difficult decision over his lineup. His previous heavy rotation against Tottenham did not bring the desired result, even though the 4-0 Europa League semi-final win over Nottingham Forest restored confidence.
Boubacar Kamara, Alysson and Amadou Onana are ruled out through injury. Harvey Elliott is also unavailable because he cannot play against his parent club under the terms of his loan.
Liverpool, meanwhile, could be strengthened by Mohamed Salah’s return. The Egyptian forward has missed two matches since injuring his hamstring in the 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace at the end of April.
