ECL: No time for Villa's pettiness, as Unai Emery's slot must shift focus from EPL to Conference League

Aston Villa will look to clinch a critical win as they take on AZ Alkmaar at Villa Park on Thursday night in the UEFA Europa Conference League. The Villans thumped the Dutch counterpart 4-1 when the two sides met in the reverse fixture in October. Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn got on the scoresheet for Unai Emery's side in a glittering away victory.

UECL: Emery's Villans leave no prisoners in Alkmaar

After that, Aston Villa flew high until Nottingham Forest brought them down to the ground this Sunday (2-0).

Monday you are the best keeper in the world... Sunday you fumble the ball into your own net

Villa are currently second in Group E and will remain on course to progress to the knockout stages if they can complete the double over AZ. The Dutch team now sit three points short of the second place, and they're desperate for a good result, at least a draw. In case they direct an upset, the things could get really messy in the group, which is, besides those two, comprised of Legia Warsaw and Zrinjski Mostar.

UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Group stage - matchday 4

Thursday

18:30: (1.95) Astana (3.50) Ballkani (3.90)

20:45: (2.05) Plzen (3.45) Dinamo Zagreb (3.60)

20:45: (2.10) Besiktas (3.60) Bodo (3.60)

20:45: (1.50) Legia (4.30) Zrinjski (6.50)

20:45: (9.50) Cukaricki (6.00) Fiorentina (1.28)

20:45: (2.45) Ferencvaros (3.50) Genk (3.00)

20:45: (7.00) Helsinki (4.50) Eintr.Frankfurt (1.45)

20:45: (1.28) PAOK (5.90) Aberdeen (9.50)

20:45: (1.27) Nordsjaelland (6.25) Trnava (9.50)

23:00: (2.00) Olimpija (3.60) Ki Klaksvik (4.00)

23:00: (5.50) Slovan B. (3.70) Lille (1.67)

23:00: (8.50) Breidablik (5.50) Gent (1.33)

23:00: (1.38) Club Brugge (5.00) Lugano (8.00)

23:00: (1.45) Aston Villa (4.70) AZ Alkmaar (8.00)

23:00: (5.00) Ludogorets (3.90) Fenerbahce (1.75)

23:00: (4.90) Zorya (3.60) Maccabi T.A. (1.75)

***odds are subject to change***