Liverpool will host Aston Villa at the start of September in the two teams' last Premier League fixture before the international break. It's always an interesting fixture and there's perhaps more at stake than ever this season.

After all, Liverpool will hope to rebound after last season and build some early momentum. A repeat of last season can't happen if they're to recapture a top-four place.

But Villa will have eyes on those spots themselves. They're back in European football after a stunning second half of the season under Unai Emery. A win over Liverpool would be a huge statement to start the season and get the team looking up the table going into the international break.

To beat Liverpool, they'll need goals, though. Ollie Watkins could be their best chance of finding them – so we at Football FanCast thought we'd look into his record against the Reds. Here's everything you need to know.

What is Ollie Watkins' goals record against Liverpool?

Watkins has come up against Liverpool six times in his career and his record against them looks pretty great. He's scored five times in that span – the most he's managed against anyone in his career.

Though, it's worth mentioning that three of those goals came in his first appearance against Liverpool. That was a crazy game, finishing 7-2 to Villa as they took advantage of some bizarre defending from the Reds. Watkins took advantage as much as anyone.

His record since is two goals in five games, which isn't quite as impressive. Still, he did manage one against them at home last season – Watkins hasn't forgotten how to find the Liverpool net.

What is Ollie Watkins' assists record against Liverpool?

Watkins only has the one assist against Liverpool, again coming in that 7-2 win. And virtually everyone got an assist in that one.

But then, it's not his game. There aren't too many teams against which he's managed more than a solitary assist, and only two – Luton and Colchester – where Watkins has three.

Don't expect him to supply the goals at Anfield, then – Villa will hope he's on the end of chances, rather than creating them.

What is Ollie Watkins' head-to-head record against Liverpool?

It's not a pretty one. In six games, Watkins has only won once against Liverpool – the 7-2 in his first appearance vs them. There's only one draw in his history, too, and that was in the most recent outing in May of this year.

But we're not sure how much you can really read into this. For one, Villa look like a much better side right now than they have in any of Watkins' previous seasons with the club. We fully expect them to give the Reds a proper match this time around, as they did back in May.

All of Watkins' games against the Reds have come in the Premier League, too. He didn't feature in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat against the Reds back in 2021.

What is Ollie Watkins' record at Anfield?

Watkins does only have three games in his career at Anfield, so there's not too much to go on here. All have come in the Premier League and usually end in defeat – two losses, one draw is his record.

As for goals, Watkins does have one. He scored at Anfield in a 2-1 defeat back in 2021 but has been unable to find the net there since that first appearance.

Who has Ollie Watkins scored against the most?

Two teams have conceded five to Watkins – the most he's managed against a single club. Liverpool are one, of course, with the other being Swansea City. His record against the Reds is slightly better, though, as he managed that total in one fewer game.

There are then three different clubs against whom Watkins has four total goals. Arsenal, Bristol City and Derby County are the unlucky trio – you can usually count on the striker to find the net against them.

How many goals does Ollie Watkins have in September?

Watkins has found the net 11 times in the month of September since the start of his career. However, it doesn't make good reading for those expecting him to net at Anfield.

None of those goals have come in the Premier League, while nine of them weren't even with Aston Villa. Watkins has nine Championship strikes in September and then two for his current club both in the EFL Cup.

He'll be hoping to break his duck against Liverpool.

What is Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa goal record?

Watkins has played 118 times across all competitions for Villa since arriving in 2020. His record in that span is pretty good, too, with 43 goals and 14 assists so far.

It means Watkins is closing in on his record haul for a club. That stands at 49 for Brentford, where he also managed his most assists – 17. There's every chance that he will overtake both figures by the end of this season.

What is Ollie Watkins' Premier League goal record?

Watkins is now 111 games into his Premier League career, with all of them coming at Aston Villa. In that time, the striker has managed 40 goals – a solid haul for three seasons of work.

Last season was his best yet, too. Watkins scored 15 times in 37 games, beating his first Premier League campaign by one goal in the same number of appearances. His middle season saw him get 11 goals,

There have been 14 assists so far, we should add. In total, Watkins has provided 53 goal contributions in 109 games – so just under one every other game.

What is Aston Villa's record against Liverpool?

Villa vs Liverpool is a fixture that dates all the way back to 1895, so there's a lot of history here. In total, the two teams have met on 201 occasions.

As you might expect, given their dominance over the last few decades, Liverpool's record is far superior in this one. They've won 101 of the 201 meetings, with Villa managing just 59. That leaves 41 draws for those keeping track.

But what about just in the Premier League era? There have been 56 meetings since the rebrand with Liverpool again winning over half. In fact, their record is even better when just counting the last 32 years – 32 wins to Villa's 13.

What is Aston Villa's record at Anfield?

As you may have guessed from the last section, it's not particularly good. This will actually be the 100th time Villa play at Anfield but they'll be hoping for what would be just their 18th win.

So in 99 Anfield fixtures, it's 17 wins, 20 draws and 62 defeats to the Reds. Not exactly a game that's brought a lot of luck their way, then, and a win this time around would be something of a surprise.

What are Aston Villa's recent results against Liverpool?

Not good. In fact, Villa have lost five of their last six against Liverpool, dating back to their last win in the fixture – the 7-2. The only time they avoided defeat came in the most recent game, too, back in May.

That was a 1-1 draw at Anfield and to be fair to Villa, it's by far the most relevant result here. Not only was it away, but it was also their only meeting with Unai Emery as boss. They shot up the league once the Spaniard took over, becoming so much better that comparing results before him seems unfair to this side.

And the previous results were particularly bad, too.

Since Jurgen Klopp took over at Liverpool, Villa have played 12 games against his team. They've won two of them – the 7-2 and the 5-0 win in the EFL Cup against the Reds' Under 21 side. In other words, this is a fixture they almost always struggle in.

But hey, at least the wins tend to be emphatic.

When is Liverpool vs Aston Villa?

Liverpool host Aston Villa on Sunday, September 3rd at 14:00 UK time. It'll be a huge match for both teams as we get an early idea of what they're about this season.

Liverpool want to bounce back after an incredibly disappointing campaign last time out. Their struggles saw them out of the title race incredibly early on, while they barely managed a top-four challenge in the end. A new midfield could be exactly what they needed, though – it's certainly their gameplan this season.

Villa were only one place behind Liverpool in the Premier League table, of course. A sensational run under Unai Emery saw them climb all the way up from the bottom into the Europa League spot – and they'll have plans to do even better this time around. The right transfers – and some momentum carried on from last season – could see Villa threaten to go one better.

A win in this fixture, then, would be a sign for either that they mean business from the off this time around.

Goalkeeper David Raya has a slightly awkward tattoo that may raise some eyebrows as he edges closer to a summer transfer to Arsenal.

What's the latest on David Raya to Arsenal?

Despite already having Aaron Ramsdale as the club's number one shot-stopper – and only giving him a new contract back in May that runs until 2026, with the option of a further year – the Gunners are closing in on a deal for an alternative option between the sticks.

Indeed, as per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the latest news is that Brentford's Raya has "completed" the main part of medical tests at London Colney and so is set to officially sign shortly.

In terms of the financials, it's expected that the Spaniard will join for an initial £3m loan fee with the option of making the switch permanent for a further £27m next summer (via The Athletic).

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

This seems like pretty good business for Mikel Arteta and co, especially as they have been forced to ask fast in the market with backup goalkeeper Matt Turner heading to Nottingham Forest for a reported £10m transfer fee this week.

Interestingly, however, Raya has a tattoo which actually references a game he once played against Arsenal, and it may not go down well with many fans.

What is David Raya's tattoo?

As you can see in the image below, on the back of his neck, the goalkeeper has been inked to reference his Premier League debut.

The tattoo is of a date – "13-08-21" – the 13th of August 2021. Unfortunately for Arsenal, this happened to be the day they famously travelled to take on newly promoted Brentford on the opening day of the Premier League and were soundly beaten 2-0 with Raya keeping a clean sheet.

The Gunners were hit by a series of positive Covid tests shortly before kick-off with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Willian and Alex Runarsson all ruled out of the game at the last moment, leaving manager Arteta surprised as to why the game was postponed.

The Bees took full advantage, however, in what turned out to be a miserable night for the North London outfit. BBC journalist Phil McNulty summed it up in his match report, writing: "Brentford celebrated their return to the top tier after a 74-year absence with a memorable, magnificent victory over woeful Arsenal as they opened their Premier League campaign in style."

Seeing as this was the first time Raya had played in the English top flight, and his team won so convincingly, you can see why he would want to commemorate the event with a tattoo.

However, this was a real low point during the Arteta reign, so Arsenal fans and players alike won't want to be reminded of it whenever the camera pans to show their new goalkeeper.

Still, so long as the 27-year-old can put in some strong performances for the club – potentially even taking the number one shirt from Ramsdale – then this small issue will likely be forgotten.

For now, it will certainly be interesting to see how often Raya plays over the course of the season with Arteta having two first-team quality goalkeepers to pick from every week.

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Na tarde desta terça-feira, o Corinthians realizou seu segundo treino preparatório para o clássico contra o Palmeiras, que acontecerá nesta quinta-feira, às 19h15, na Neo Química Arena, pela nona rodada do Brasileirão-2020. Luan segue em tratamento e permanece como dúvida para o Dérbi.

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O técnico Tiago Nunes utilizou a atividade do dia para trabalhar a parte tática da equipe. Ele orientou bastante os jogadores e também organizou um treinamento de bolas paradas laterais. Vale lembrar que por conta dos protocolos de saúde, a imprensa não tem acesso ao CT Joaquim Grava para acompanhar os treinamentos in loco. Assim, as informações são do clube.

Nas imagens publicadas pela assessoria do Timão, a exemplo da atividade da última segunda-feira, Luan não aparece entre os jogadores que estiveram em campo nesta tarde.Com estiramento leve na coxa direita, o meia-atacante continua em tratamento e tem sido avaliado diariamente pelo departamento médico do clube. Assim, ele é dúvida para enfrentar o Palmeiras.

Uma provável escalação do Alvinegro para quinta-feira é: Cássio; Fagner, Gil, Danilo Avelar e Lucas Piton; Camacho e Cantillo; Ramiro, Araos e Otero (Gustavo Mosquito e Léo Natel); Jô. Apesar de os treinos serem fechados, Tiago Nunes revelou recentemente, em entrevista coletiva, que o venezuelano deve ganhar uma chance no time titular, e isso pode acontecer já contra o rival.

Na expectativa pela evolução do quadro de Luan, o Corinthians volta a treinar na tarde desta quarta-feira, no CT Joaquim Grava, e fará seus últimos ajustes antes do Dérbi. Neste momento, o Timão ocupa a 11ª posição na tabela do Brasileirão-2020, com nove pontos e um jogo a menos do que a maioria.

A downcast Joe Root suggested that England’s senior players still have a role to play in the future after England surrendered their hold on the Ashes in an innings-and-41-run defeat

George Dobell in Perth18-Dec-20172:27

Root puts poor form down to ‘trying too hard’

England’s Ashes defeat is not “a fair reflection” of how they have played or “what we’re capable” of achieving, according to Joe Root.Encouraged by England’s ability to compete for periods in each game but frustrated by their inability to sustain it, England’s captain urged his side to learn from Australia’s ability to seize the key moments and register better results in the final two matches of the series.”One of the most frustrating things is that we haven’t been blown away or completely outplayed,” Root said, despite victory margins of 10 wickets in Brisbane, 120 runs in Adelaide and an innings and 41 runs in Perth. “We have put up some really good performances in all three matches, but not for long enough.”There have been periods when we have matched and outplayed Australia. But credit to them, because they grasped the key moments in each game. We have got to learn from that. Our biggest challenge in the two remaining games is get in a position of strength, drive it home and make sure we walk away with some results from this tour.”I don’t think these three games is a fair reflection of how we’ve played and what we’re capable of. So, I think we need to do ourselves and the supporters back home justice in the final two games of the series.”While Root, the England captain, admitted his side had been “outplayed in all three games” he urged the team management not to panic and insisted that the senior players who had underperformed in Australia – Alastair Cook in particular – should still be in the side in a year’s time.”I’d like to think they are still in the side in a year,” Root said. “They have a huge amount of experience and they do offer a lot to this group. Their performances over a long period of time speak for themselves. I see no reason why throughout the rest of this series they can’t do well again.A lot to ponder for Joe Root•Getty ImagesThe senior guys have proved they can produce for England time and again. It is very important that me and Trevor Bayliss don’t panic or make hasty decisions despite three games which haven’t gone in our favour. We have to be very realistic about where we are as a side and what is going to be most important is making sure we field a team that is going to give us the best chance to win.”Cook has done it so many times before. He is a very stubborn guy who likes proving people wrong. As he said before this game, the amount of extra work he is putting in behind the scenes tell me he is desperate to keep going.”On the state of the WACA pitch, which required the use of leaf-blowers to remove some notable damp patches, Root was cautious in his criticism, particularly after Jonny Bairstow’s early dismissal to a delivery that kept noticeably low.”When we got here this morning it definitely wasn’t fit to play,” he said. “But it dried up this morning, the sun got to it, the wind got it, they obviously worked very hard to get it right, and by the end there it was probably fit to play.”

ScorecardWilliam Bosisto grafted a 300-ball 98•Getty Images

Western Australia opener Jon Wells scored the third hundred of his first-class career as the Warriors frustrated Victoria by playing out a draw on the final day at the MCG. Fellow opener Will Bosisto fell just short of a century himself, caught behind off the bowling of Chris Tremain for 98, but the 195-run stand he and Wells had built was enough to prevent a Victoria win.The day had started with Western Australia on 0 for 86 in their second innings, needing a further 121 to make the Victorians bat again. The openers cruised past that mark before Wells was the first man to fall, caught off the bowling of Jon Holland for 107. Hilton Cartwright was caught behind off Daniel Christian for 13, before the captains agreed at 3 for 281 that no result was possible and they called the game off.Victoria used 10 bowlers as the match petered out, with only wicketkeeper Seb Gotch not rolling his arm over. Mitchell Marsh finished unbeaten on 38 and Marcus Stoinis was on 16. The result means that Victoria, winners of the past three Sheffield Shield titles, head into the break in the season without a single win.