Aston Villa have the opportunity to make it three wins from three in the Champions League when they welcome Viking to Villa Park, and while I expect Unai Emery to make several changes from the side that won at Newcastle on Sunday, I don't think there will be any suggestion of taking the opposition lightly. Viking's performance against Bayern Munich last time out should be enough of a warning that this won't necessarily be as straightforward as some might expect, particularly with Villa having to manage a growing injury list and another important Premier League fixture against Manchester City on the horizon.
The biggest selection problem is undoubtedly at left-back, where Villa have somehow found themselves in a position of having very few options despite starting the season with what looked like excellent depth. Matteo Ruggeri is now facing around two months on the sidelines, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has joined him in the treatment room following the Newcastle game, and while Ian Maatsen could potentially return to the bench, I wouldn't expect Emery to take any unnecessary risks with him. Johan Manzambi is also unavailable with a minor injury, which creates another opportunity for the manager to rotate his midfield.
I think there are some fairly obvious changes to make, particularly when you look at the team Emery selected against Fenerbahçe and Newcastle last week and consider which players could benefit from an opportunity this time around.
Starting in goal, I expect Zion Suzuki to continue, no need for any goalkeeper rotation. Matty Cash will line up at right-back and Victor Lindelöf alongside Pau Torres in the centre of defence. Lindelöf has been one of Villa's most impressive performers in recent weeks, and I don't see much reason to disrupt his partnership with Pau, particularly when the team have started to look more assured defensively. There are plenty of games coming up, but maintaining some consistency in that area is important, especially against a Viking side who caused Bayern Munich plenty of problems. Taylor Harwood-Bellis is now eligible to play in The Champions League.
That leaves the question of left-back, and I'm going with Tyrone Mings. I wouldn't completely rule out John McGinn being used there, because I think his versatility and physical attributes make him a viable alternative, but my suspicion is that Emery will favour the experience of Mings and trust him to manage the defensive responsibilities. It's not an ideal situation, and with Ruggeri expected to be missing for around two months and Wan-Bissaka facing three to four weeks out, it's a problem Villa will have to manage beyond Wednesday night. The encouraging news is that Maatsen has returned to training, and I'd hope he might be available for a place on the bench, although there would be little sense in rushing him back.
In midfield, I think this is a good opportunity to give Boubacar Kamara a rest and bring João Gomes back into the starting side alongside Ross Barkley. Kamara's workload is something I've been conscious of following his return from injury, and while I thought there were encouraging signs against Brentford, Fenerbahce and Newcastle. There's no need to ask him to play every minute when Villa have other options available. Gomes was my player of the match against Brentford and didn't start against Fenerbahçe last Wednesday, so I'd expect him to get his first European start. Barkley, meanwhile, is a player Emery has trusted in European competition, and I think this is exactly the sort of fixture where his experience and ability to move the ball through midfield could be useful. You would expect Villa to dominate possession.
Leon Goretzka is another option, and I'm sure there will be supporters who would like to see him handed his first start (me included), but I suspect Emery will continue to build his minutes gradually. We saw him get another opportunity from the bench recently, and with Manchester City coming up, I wouldn't be surprised if that remains the approach for now. There's no doubt that he gives Villa something different in midfield, and the prospect of using him in a slightly narrower system against City is interesting, but I think Wednesday might come a little too soon for him to start.
Further forward, Manzambi's absence makes the selection slightly more straightforward, although it's disappointing to lose him given the form he's been in. His winning goal at Newcastle was another example of the influence he's starting to have on this team, but Emery has confirmed that he's unavailable with a small injury, and hopefully it won't be something that keeps him out for any significant period.
Buendía didn't feature against Fenerbahçe, and I think there's an opportunity for him to come into the side and provide some creativity between the lines after his start at Newcastle. He's another player who has benefited from the increased competition within the squad, and there's a genuine argument now that Villa can make changes in these attacking positions without the level of quality dropping significantly. McGinn will give Villa the usual combination of energy, defensive work and tactical understanding on the right. Mbaye has impressed me with the work he's doing both in and out of possession. His defensive contribution against Fenerbahçe was particularly encouraging, and I think he's earning the manager's trust.
Nicolas Jackson completes the side, and while there might be an argument for giving Tammy Abraham an opportunity, I don't think this is a game where Emery will want to take too many chances. Jackson has established himself as Villa's main striker, and against a Viking side who appear to have two physically imposing centre-backs, his movement and ability to occupy defenders could be important. Brian Madjo would have been a really interesting option to have available from the bench in this particular fixture, but of course he isn't registered for the Champions League, which leaves Abraham as the more obvious alternative if Emery wants to make a change during the game.
There are certainly opportunities for rotation, and I expect Emery to use them, but I also think he'll be conscious of the importance of getting another three points on the board. Villa have worked incredibly hard to put themselves in this position, and moving to nine points after three matches would give them an excellent platform in the Champions League. Manchester City will undoubtedly influence some of the decisions, particularly around players who have recently returned from injury, but there's more than enough quality in this predicted side to get the job done.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Cash, Lindelöf, Pau Torres, Mings; João Gomes, Barkley; McGinn, Buendía, Mbaye; Jackson.