A Jack Grealish-less but big-spending Aston Villa will attempt to better their 11th-placed finish from last season when they get their 2021-22 Premier League campaign underway at Watford this weekend.
Here, Sports Mole looks at who would make Dean Smith's first-choice XI with a fully-fit squad to choose from.
STRONGEST XI
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martinez, Jed Steer, Akos Onodi, Oliwer Zych
Defenders: Axel Tuanzebe, Ashley Young, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Matt Targett, Frederic Guilbert, Kortney Hause, Myles Sohna, Sil Swinkels, Frankie Ealing, Josh Feeney, Dominic Revan
Midfielders: Emiliano Buendia, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Conor Hourihane, Bertrand Traore, Marvelous Nakamba, Anwar El Ghazi, Morgan Sanson, Jacob Ramsey, Harrison Sohna, Jaden Philogene-Bidace, Ben Chrisene, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kaine Hayden, Lamar Bogarde
Forwards: Leon Bailey, Danny Ings, Wesley, Ollie Watkins, Trezeguet, Keinan Davis
> Click here for full details of Aston Villa's 2021-22 squad
Barney Corkhill
