England Premier League
Saturday 18th March 2023
Kick off at 3pm GMT
Venue: Villa Park
Match Preview:
Aston Villa will be safe this season and that is their first objective out of the way, the second, and this wouldn’t have been the case earlier in the season is to try and qualify for European competition. Villa have climbed up to 11th place and have 35 points, and if they can continue their consistency they have every chance to make it.
Unai Emery has already seen ups and downs with the Villains but most games have been positive under him and the club comes into this weekend unbeaten in their last 3 games after wins over Everton and Crystal Palace, and last weekend they drew 1-1 with West Ham. Villa would go past Chelsea with victory here if the Blues were to lose against Everton, and at home the majority of results have been the win with six from 13 games played. Recent home form has been questionable with defeats against Leicester and Arsenal but they did win their last home game over Palace.
Bournemouth keep surprising when you least expect it and after being destroyed 9-0 by Liverpool earlier in the season and then seeing the Reds smash Manchester United 7-0 ten days ago you wouldn’t have given them a chance against Jurgen Klopp’s team. And yet the Cherries beat Liverpool 1-0 and even though the Reds have had an indifferent season the fact they put seven goals past United seemed to suggest that they had turned a corner, so the result last weekend remained a real surprise. It was also only Bournemouth’s sixth win of the season.
Bournemouth are in 18th placed with 24 points but it is so close in those positions that only their goal difference is preventing them from being in 16th. The danger is real though but the problem that Gary O’ Neil’s side have had has been their away form and they have lost 9 games from 13 played. Recent form has seen 4 defeats from five although they did beat Wolves on the road a month ago.
Team News:
Aston Villa: Philippe Coutinho remains sidelined for at least 2 weeks with a hamstring injury. Leander Dendoncker is only 50/50 to return from a hand injury and may not be risked. Boubacar Kamara is still out due to his ankle injury and won’t return until the beginning of next month.
Bournemouth: Adam Smith has a knock and will be assessed, it is the same situation for Junior Stanilas although reports suggest he is struggling more to be fit for this game. Marcus Tavernier is only 50/50 to return from a hamstring injury. Illnia Zabarnyi will be assessed due to a lack of match fitness.
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth Head to Head:
Bournemouth have won the last 4 meetings in a row.
The clubs have only played each other 10 times- Bournemouth has 5 wins, Aston Villa 4 and there has been one draw.
Aston Villa have not beaten Bournemouth since 2015.
There is a 70% chance to see both teams to score.
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth Prediction:
If you’ve just beaten Liverpool then why can’t you come to Aston Villa and beat them? That isn’t how football works of course but Bournemouth certainly has a case with their home form after beating the Reds and despite what happens away from home the club will now believe that they can pick up near maximum points with their remaining home games. However, winning away games has been a real Achilles heel for the club and this is a tough ground to come too.
Bournemouth have a great record over Villa and did beat them in the reverse fixture with a 2-0 victory however that was under Steven Gerrard and so much has changed for Villa since then. The home side should be too strong here and we expect Bournemouth to continue to struggle on the road and this should be a straight forward home victory. Ollie Watkins is starting to score again for Villa and they are also a side who have netted 5 times in their last three home games, so get on Watkins to add to his tally at the weekend.
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth Betting Tips:
Aston Villa to beat Bournemouth at 1.70
Anytime goalscorer: Ollie Watkins at 2.30
Both teams to score at 1.80
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