ASTON VILLA'S troubled season hit a new low in midweek at Fulham and another defeat in this clash with Brentford could see them drop into the relegation places.
The heat was on Steven Gerrard heading to Craven Cottage and it only intensified as his side crashed 3-0, with Villa looking devoid of inspiration and leadership.
Chants of “you're getting sacked in the morning” rang out around the stadium but he actually got the bullet within a few hours on a night when two bets landed for our man Gabriel.
Fans were dreaming of competing for a European place at the start of the season but Aston Villa now find themselves in a dogfight at the bottom and desperately need a win when Brentford come calling.
Thomas Frank's side could have easily suffered second-season syndrome after an impressive debut campaign in the Premier League but they have started well and head into this game sitting in the top half.
They held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw in midweek and only three teams have managed to beat the Bees so far this season. It bodes well for a season of consolidation in the top flight and Brentford will fancy their chances of another three points against a Villa side in disarray.
How the bookies view it
Despite their poof form and bad record against Brentford, Aston Villa remain favourites for this one at 22/19 with SBK while Brentford are 13/5 at Unibet. Don't rule out the draw and that pays 19/7 with VBet.
Recent head to head
Brentford have been a bogey team for Aston Villa, going unbeaten across their last eight meetings. They beat Gerrard's side 2-1 in London last term after the sides drew 1-1 in the Midlands. The last five meetings at Villa Park have ended level, dating back to 1953.
Players to watch
Jacob Ramsey always catches my eye whenever I watch Aston Villa and the young midfielder has been a rare shining light so far this term. He netted a crucial winner against Southampton last month and is 4/1 at Unibet to score another huge goal here.
It's impossible to look past Ivan Toney for a Brentford goal as he hunts down a place in England's World Cup squad. The in-form hitman has netted eight times already this season and is 2/1 at Bet365 to add to that tally.
Anything else catch the eye?
A lack of firepower has cost Aston Villa dearly this season while Brentford have fired blanks in three of their last five matches. That suggests goals could be at a premium in this one, with under 2.5 strikes priced a tempting evens at SportNation. Betting against BTTS is another decent option and that pays 5/4 with BetVictor.
Aston Villa have won the most corners in four of their last five matches and that bet pays just 63/100 at SportingIndex here. But Villa -2 in the corner handicap is better value at a best 13/10 with BetVictor.
The two Premier League meetings last season were pretty fiery, with 10 yellows flashed in total. Over 3.5 cards is 20/23 with BetVictor but the prices are better for individual players falling foul of the ref. Aston Villa skipper John McGinn is always in the heat of the battle and looks a bit overpriced at 13/4 with Unibet for a card.
This English Premier League match between Aston Villa and Brentford will be played on Oct 23, 2022 and kick off at 14:00. Check below for our tipsters best Aston Villa vs Brentford prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
