England Premier League
Sunday 2nd January 2022
Kick off at 2pm GMT
Venue: Brentford Community Stadium
Match Preview:
Brentford’s form has taken a hit coming into this game and they have lost their last 2 games. However in their latest game they had to play Manchester City here and only lost 1-0 in the end.
It was a game dominated by City but the Bees worked incredibly hard and in the end limited the champions to just 3 shots on target, they had two themselves and with the score so close Brentford felt that they were always in it. The defeat was the clubs 8th of the season and they are in 14th place.
Brentford have won just 4 points from their last 15 and at this time they look like being one of the newly promoted sides who will stay up this season. However clearly they are not out of the woods even if they have a 9 point safety gap, it’s a healthy gap to have but at the same time that can be swallowed up fairly quickly during a poor run.
Aston Villa are winning games but losing against the top sides, and that has been the pattern with the club since Steven Gerrard took over. But everything is going to plan for the club and losing against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea will not be of great concern to the board. Villa’s objectives are survival after their slow start under Dean Smith and possibly squeezing into the top 10 and Gerrard is doing a solid job on that account in the first few months he has been at the club.
Villa’s last match ended in a 3-1 home loss to Chelsea and the club are in 12th place. On the road Villa still have no draws and have lost 6 of their 9 games played. They did win their last away match which was against Norwich and have won 2 of their last three away games so that form is improving.
Team News:
Brentford: Charlie Goode looks like he will miss out again with a hamstring injury. Henry Rico is also out with the same injury and will miss the next two weeks. Vitaly Janelt is out as he has Covid-19. Bryan Mbeumo has a calf injury and is only being rated at 50/50 to make this game. Dominic Thompson has a muscle injury but it isn’t thought to be too serious and he will be assessed. Zanka, Josh Da Silva, David Raya Martin and Tariqe Fosu-Henry are all set to be out for a few more weeks yet.
Aston Villa: Tyrone Mings is suspended for this game after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season. Leon Bailey is still out with his thigh injury. Ashley Young is rated as very doubtful after picking up a toe injury. Marvelous Nakamba has a knee injury which could see him out until March.
Brentford vs Aston Villa Head to Head:
This will be just the 16th game to be played between the clubs.
The last time the clubs played at Brentford was in 2019 in the Championship and Brentford won that game 1-0.
We have to go back 8 games and to 1953 for the last time Aston Villa tasted victory over Brentford.
In the reverse fixture earlier this season the game finished 1-1.
Brentford vs Aston Villa Prediction:
This remains a game to keep an eye on because the clubs are playing for position and we are not quite at the half way point for them. Brentford trail Aston Villa by 2 points so a win would see the club leap frog the visitors. As for Gerrard’s side they could move up 2 places and be flirting with the top 10 with victory and we think this game will be very open and could produce a few goals at the same time.
Aston Villa are seen as the favourites but this won’t be an easy away game, however we do see them having the edge. On the whole Ivan Toney who scored goals for fun in the Championship has been a real let down. It can happen going a level up but he will feel that there is more goals in him, so he could be worth a punt for anytime goalscorer. It is worth noting that Toney did score against Villa in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
Brentford vs Aston Villa Betting Tips:
Asian handicap (0.0 Aston Villa) at 1.70
Anytime goalscorer: Ivan Toney at 2.25
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