By beating Liverpool 4-2 and leapfrogging them into fourth place, Aston Villa are guaranteed UEFA Champions League (UCL) football for next season.
In a match of seemingly little Fantasy Premier League (FPL) interest at this moment, three players recently ditched en masse each decided to turn up and haul: Morgan Rogers (£7.4m), Ollie Watkins (£8.7m) and Virgil van Dijk (£6.1m).
Here are our Villa v Liverpool Scout Notes.
ROGERS + VAN DIJK HAUNT SELLERS
| Name | Team | GW37 Sales |
| Rogers | AVL | 379,082 |
| Gibbs-White | NFO | 311,593 |
| Watkins | AVL | 212,074 |
| Semenyo | MCI | 183,438 |
| João Pedro | CHE | 166,292 |
| Virgil | LIV | 149,984 |
The most-sold individual ahead of Friday’s deadline was Rogers, discarded by 602,000 over the last two Gameweeks due to his constant teasing. Villa’s midfielder promises much but continually frustrates.
So, of course, he scored with his only shot – a delicious strike from the corner of the box – then assisted to accumulate 12 points.
Liverpool defender van Dijk – abandoned by 636,000 across the most recent three Gameweeks – was goalless until Gameweek 23, but now has an overall position-leading six of them.
Above: Defender goals from Gameweek 23 onwards
His equalising header came from a deep Dominik Szoboszlai (£7.0m) free-kick, and the same combination brought a stoppage-time consolation.
A WATKINS RAMPAGE
The Hungarian collected a respectable nine points, though his accidental stumble came at a crucial moment. Rogers pounced on it and set up Watkins, beginning Villa’s surge up to 4-1.
Soon after, the centre-forward tapped in, having seen Youri Tielemans (£5.9m) and Pau Torres‘ (£4.3m) shots be foiled by Giorgi Mamardashvili (£4.1m). He set up John McGinn‘s (£5.3m) stunning late curler, too.
Above: The location of Ollie Watkins’ six shots (green ones were on target)
That puts Watkins on five goals and two assists from his last four starts. This occasion saw him shoot six times, four of which were Opta-defined big chances.
…BUT DON’T BUY FOR GAMEWEEK 38!
We saw on the final day of 2021/22 that Villa are very capable of scaring Manchester City in title-deciding circumstances. They went 2-0 up at the Etihad Stadium, before an epic comeback from the hosts.
However, it’s not just about fixture difficulty. Friday’s win secured the Villans’ Champions League qualification, allowing Unai Emery’s side to fully concentrate on their midweek trip to Istanbul for the Europa League final. His Gameweek 38 starting lineup could be anything, which isn’t punt-friendly.
£4.3m NGUMOHA STARTS AGAIN, SZOBOZSLAI THE STAND-OUT LIVERPOOL ATTACKER?
In terms of Liverpool, this defeat means they can still be caught by Bournemouth and Brighton and Hove Albion – two teams whose UCL dreams more likely depend on Villa both finishing fifth and beating Freiburg.
As of now, the Reds need to secure a top-five spot when hosting Brentford. Such motivation means it could be worth investing in their attack.
The problem is that there aren’t too many convincing candidates. Cody Gakpo (£7.3m) boasts 18 consecutive starts, but has a meagre 8.2% conversion rate over the whole season (seven goals from 85 shots).
Florian Wirtz (£8.3m), meanwhile, was restricted to a cameo after being ill last week. You’d think nine days would help him fully recover from a stomach bug, so will he oust impressive teenager Rio Ngumoha (£4.3m) in Gameweek 38? The youngster hit the post on Friday, with Gakpo missing the open goal in the rebound.
Nostalgic managers will be tempted to buy Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) for his emotional Anfield farewell. But the Fantasy GOAT wasn’t seen until the 74th minute on his comeback, and his performances hardly inspire confidence. Will he even be fit to start next weekend?
If so, the Egyptian will likely be on penalty duties next week, which slightly dampens Szoboszlai’s appeal. On the other hand, the Hungarian all-rounder isn’t relying on spot kicks.
Above: The consistency of Dominik Szoboszlai from Gameweek 23 onwards
He has delivered either a goal, assist or defensive contribution success in 11 of his last 14 outings. Sometimes a couple of them. The playmaker ranks second overall for chances created (74), crosses (199) and successful passes into the box (117).
A 90-minute man, he is, at this early juncture, probably the stand-out Liverpool player for the final day.
ISAK + FRIMPONG INJURY LATEST
Alexander Isak (£10.3m) missed out on Friday but could reappear on the final weekend.
“Yes, there will definitely be a chance [he can be fit for the final day].
“We’ve tried to be as careful as we could, but I don’t think it can come to anyone as a surprise if you miss your pre-season, if you then break your leg, that minor injuries can occur if you have to start in Premier League games immediately in that intensity.
“I expect him to train with us this week, but I cannot give any guarantees.” – Arne Slot on Alexander Isak
Elsewhere, neither Alisson Becker (£5.4m) nor Jeremie Frimpong (£5.7m) were available at Villa Park.
Frimpong has a minor issue. Alisson is, at least, back in training following two months out.
