Monday, 8pm, Sky Sports 1
SUNDERLAND have lost just one of their last five Premier League trips to Villa Park (W2 D2 L1).
This fixture is so crunch you can almost hear the sound it would make, something like biting into a pork scratching possibly?
Under their new knee-sliding, arm-waving Italian, Sunderland's survival chances have suddenly taken on a much rosier tint following consecutive Premier League victories for only the third time all season.
Aston Villa meanwhile have let their own purple patch of three league wins in four turn into three in seven ahead of hosting the Black Cats.
The midlanders prevailed by just a solitary goal at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season and, with so much at stake, you'd expect another tight one.
Villa have conceded in their last 18 Premier League games, the longest such run of the season.
Clearly one of Aston Villa's major weaknesses is their inexperienced defence which has leaked goals like a colander this season.
Although they again have Ron Vlaar adding a wiser head to their fledgling back four, the likes of Ciaran Clark, Nathan Baker, Joe Bennett and Matthew Lowton – all 23 or younger – have too often been left to marshal themselves.
Still, at least Paul Lambert's side have been able to find the net regularly since the turn of the year. In their last 12 Premier League outings, only the two Manchester clubs have prevented Villa from finding the back of the opposition net.
There have been five red cards in the last eight Barclays Premier League meetings between Sunderland and Aston Villa
Although this fixture does not immediately spring to mind as one of the tastier in the Premier League calendar, the stats don't lie. The meeting at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season was no exception.
The game may have been shy of goals but it did contain its fair share of yellow cards, five to be precise. Former Villa employee Craig Gardner saw red in this exact fixture last season and, when you throw in the tensions of relegation worry, especially for the home team, you have a potentially volatile situation.
Recommended Bets
Back there to be a sending-off @ 5.0
Back the draw @ 3.45
Back both teams to score @ 1.79
Milesey (Betfair)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
Just wondering if there is any way I can back a result and an anytime goalscorer as a single bet?
Cheers
Joe, a wincast is an anytime scorer and a result for example Benteke to score first and Villa to win. But whatever way you look at it the bet’s a double.
craig gardner is surely due a goal today! £20 on today @6.50
Okay I’ve got weimann and 2-2 @140/1 does that mean he had to score first because he’s just scored villas 2nd goal?
Cheers.
Joe, he had to score first unless you did a wincast but the price suggests first.
Sometimes surprised on here the amount of folk that shove bets on but don’t appear to know what it is they are actually betting on!…a very strange and expensive hobby! :-(
Guido, spot on. Dutching, backing and laying etc can’t be done at a whim. 4-1 Villa now, unreal.
Can’t be done at a whim ? whats a whim, never tried doing it there, but if thats a challenge i’m sure i can oblige ;)
Milesey
Milesey, wasn’t talking about you but punters who are trying to get into it.
is Miesey boasting aboot his sexual prowess here?? :-)
Paul, I’ve been told you can hava lay in the whins…or was that whims you said? Dunno, I’m not into outdoor pursuits like that ;-)
hahaha, thought you were a golf man ? GAY OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE with FELLAS, oh and into dogging Guido ;) ;)
Milesey
De Canio be getting the dunt after this shocking show…
Guido, Villa deserved it but it’s Wigan who’ll hate this result.
Not a supporter of any English club Mr F…but wid prefer to see Wigan stay up tho..think their owner is a salt of the earth decent fella
Guido, Wigan must win their game in hand, I think against Swansea, and that will bring the likes of Newcastle and Sunderland back into it. You have to fancy Villa to escape now.
Back there to be a sending-off @ 5.0
Back both teams to score @ 1.79
hahahaha GET IN ;) ;)
Milesey
Milesey, can send racing again please .. they’ve been lost.
You serious ?
I have just deleted it :(
Milesey
Milesey, ta. Did the same as you.
What do you call “whins” in deepest darkest Engerlund Milesey?..”gorse”? Mr F knows his way around the whins , visited most of them in every golf course hes ever played in Scotland getting stabbed n scratched to death skulking aboot lookin for his balls! :-)
Milesy did ur red card bet nice one, st pats let ,e down for my accy tho. What you’d lads think for 2mrw was thinking of doin the two CL semi finals both over 3.5. Mr F you think that has much chance I just can’t see any of these sides being defensive and we know bar a and reAl are terrible at the back