Aston Villa return to action in the Europa Conference League tonight, as the Villans bid to get their first points on the board against current Group E leaders Zrinjski.

Last time out in the competition, Unai Emery’s side were defeated by Legia Warsaw in Poland, losing 3-2 after a disastrous defensive display which subsequently sees them occupy bottom of the group.

With plenty more challenges to come in the tournament, it’s imperative that the Midlands side get a result this evening, as Emery faces a challenge of squad selection due to injury and possible rotation.

What is the latest Aston Villa team news?

In his pre-match press conference, the four-time Europa League-winning manager revealed that his squad had been dealt a triple injury blow following their dominating 6-1 victory over Brighton.

Moussa Diaby, Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey are the latest victims of injury in the Villa camp, with one positive being that Leon Bailey has returned to the fold after a spell on the sidelines.

While the Villans have an extensive schedule ahead, Emery stressed that his side “must win” after the disappointing result in Warsaw, with Villa Park poised to push the squad over the line in what will be a theatrical night in Birmingham.

One aspect of squad selection that will be questioned taking into consideration the need to win is the level that the Spaniard will rotate his squad to, as he altered his defence, midfield and front line against Legia to little effect.

Should Ollie Watkins start against Zrinjski?

Against Legia, 19-year-old Jhon Duran led the line in place of Ollie Watkins, which was an element that worked strongly as the Colombian scored within six minutes of play.

There is, however, a claim for Watkins to start against Zrinjski, with the 27-year-old talisman in fine form after his impeccable hat-trick against Brighton in the league last weekend.

Once lauded as “unstoppable” by Premier League veteran Jamie Carragher, the former Brentford forward is the calibre of figure in the Villa squad that can almost single-handedly determine the trajectory of a game.

While Duran has showcased just how potent he can be in the final third, Watkins could ensure that no stone is left unturned at Villa Park, ensuring that his side seals a comprehensive victory to kickstart their European adventure.

To support Carragher’s previous praise, the £75k-per-week Englishman was truly unstoppable last time out, earning a faultless match rating of 10 and netting a hat-trick from just four shots on target in the game, via Sofascore.

Most prominently, Watkins highlighted just how little he requires to score, registering only 41 touches during the contest yet making most of his involvement count, recording five key passes and three goals from the sporadic activity.

Emery and Villa know that they must get the job done in front of their home crowd this evening, with their in-form striker having all the keys to not just unlock, but to terrorise the opposition.

Despite winning their opening game, Zrinjski did concede three goals against AZ Alkmaar from the eight shots on target that they faced, however, their ability to win the game with just 28% possession told all that Villa needed to know ahead of the fixture.

The manager could skip an attacking battle by restoring Watkins to the European starting 11, in a game that is a must-win for the hosts.