Premier League rankings: Aston Villa analysis, line-up & predicted finish

Their two-year Premier League absence is over and Aston Villa are not taking any chances of a damaging return to the Sky Bet Championship.

Villa have been busy strengthening most areas of their squad and, while some are making comparisons with Fulham last season, the investment can help Dean Smith's side avoid the drop.

Like Fulham, Villa won the Championship playoff final and play an eye-catching brand of football which is quick to attract the interest of neutral observers.

Fulham, however, did not need to spend in excess of £100m and did most of their business late. Villa have acted in a more prompt manner and are making key signings to fill the void left by departing loanees such as top goalscorer Tammy Abraham.

Brazilian Wesley has been brought in to replace Abraham, although Villa fans were delighted to see dominant defender Tyrone Mings make his loan move permanent.

Centre-back partner Axel Tuanzebe did not follow suit so the Holte End will have to make do with loving Bjorn Engels instead.

If the enormous Engels fails to hit the heights then it will be up to England Under-21 international Ezri Konsa to come up trumps.

Boss Dean Smith knows Konsa from their brief time together at Brentford, but it was the manager's own move to Villa Park from Griffin Park which turned the club around.

Smith needed time to drill in his style of play and when it worked Villa took off, winning ten league games in a row to move from 11th into the playoffs where the former European champions were able to overcome West Brom and Derby.

For all that Smith sorted the errors of predecessor Steve Bruce's ways, it always helps to players of the calibre of skipper Jack Grealish in the side.

Villa last lost a league game with Grealish in the starting line-up on October 26 at QPR and his partnership in midfield with the classy John McGinn and Douglas Luiz gives the newly-promoted club a greater chance of survival than a typical triumphant playoff team.

Possible team (4-1-4-1): Steer; Elmohamady, Engels, Mings, Targett; Douglas Luiz; Jota, McGinn, Grealish, Trezeguet; Wesley.

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