Third-placed Aston Villa will look to keep the pressure on the two sides above them in the table as they welcome mid-table Everton to Villa Park late Sunday afternoon.
Aston Villa dropped points for only the third time in 16 matches in the Premier League last Wednesday night, as they played out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace, meaning they remain in third spot, six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Whilst that’s now consecutive away matches they’ve dropped points in, Unai Emery’s hosts are still in the midst of an eight-game winning run at Villa Park in the Premier League.
Villa also advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup at the weekend, as they won 1-2 away at Spurs, on an evening in which two of my three selections landed.
Everton, on the other hand, were eliminated from the FA Cup at the weekend, as they were beaten on penalties by Sunderland at the Hill Dickinson Stadium after a 1-1 draw, in a game I correctly predicted a stalemate inside 90 minutes at 11/5.
That was the same scoreline in the Toffees’ last Premier League outing at home to rock-bottom Wolves, meaning David Moyes’s men have won just one of their previous six league contests (W1-D2-L3), leaving them in 12th position, six points behind rivals Liverpool in fourth.
How the bookies view it: Villa favourites
As expected, Aston Villa are favourites to record a ninth consecutive win at home in the Premier League on Sunday, with bet365 pricing a home success at 8/13.
Everton are 17/4 underdogs to make it back-to-back away wins in the Premier League, whilst the draw is 29/10.
Head to head: Unlucky 13 for Everton
Aston Villa have dominated this fixture in recent seasons, as they are unbeaten in each of their previous 13 Premier League meetings with Everton (W9-D4-L0), winning each of the last four at Villa Park.
Players to watch: Watch out for Watkins again
After a sluggish start to the campaign, Ollie Watkins comes into this clash in good form, as he has scored four goals and provided one assist across his last five Premier League appearances.
The England international found the back of the net home and away against Everton last season, and I like the 5/4 on offer at bet365 for him to strike against the Toffees once again.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Predicted line-ups:
Aston Villa will be without the injured Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley, whilst goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Boubacar Kamara are doubts, but Evann Guessand returns from AFCON.
Everton will be missing a few players here, with Seamus Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite, Tim Iroegbunam, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz injured, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye still at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Michael Keane is suspended, but boyhood Aston Villa fan Jack Grealish returns from a suspension of his own.
Aston Villa: Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Bogarde, Tielemens, Buendia, Rogers, McGinn, Watkins
Everton: Pickford, Patterson, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Garner, Rohl, Dibling, Armstrong, Grealish, Barry
Anything else catch the eye?
As alluded to, Aston Villa have won each of their last eight Premier League encounters at Villa Park, hence why they are just 8/13 to win once again at home on Sunday.
All eight of those victories have featured fewer than five goals, and a repeat of that boosts the price to a more backable 19/20 at Coral/Ladbrokes.
Unai Emery’s hosts have fired in 18 goals across those eight consecutive victories at Villa Park – notching on multiple occasions in six (75%) of them – and a repeat of that pays 4/5 at bet365, which also appeals to me.
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