Aston Villa will be aiming to get back on track in the Premier League when they lock horns with Midlands rivals Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.
Unai Emery's side were on course to collect all three points against Brighton last time out, only to concede an equaliser in the final 10 minutes of the game.
That stalemate saw Villa sign off for 2024 occupying ninth position in the table, however they are just three points behind fifth-placed Newcastle.
Back at their Villa Park headquarters this weekend, Emery’s side will look to return to winning ways by landing all three points against Leicester.
The honeymoon period appears to be over for new Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, with the Foxes falling to defeat in each of their last four Premier League matches.
Consequently, the King Power club ended the calendar year residing in the relegation zone, though they are just two points away from automatic safety.
How the bookies view it: Villa set for victory
Aston Villa – who have won three of their last four Premier League home games – are heavy 3/10 favourites with Boylesports.
Leicester are as big as 8/1 on Boylesports to emerge from Villa Park victorious, while a share of the spoils is also considered improbable at 4/1 with the same bookmaker.
Head to head: Villa out to do the double
After defeating Leicester 2-1 at the King Power earlier this season, Aston Villa will look to repeat the trick on home turf. The Villians can also draw confidence from the fact that they have taken top honours from five of their last nine meetings with the Foxes.
Players to watch: Ollie to outfox the Foxes?
Ollie Watkins has scored in each of the last three Premier League games that he has started at Villa Park. Thus, the England forward looks like an attractive proposition for an anytime strike against out-of-sorts Leicester at 10/11 on Boylesports.
Facundo Buonanotte scored for Leicester during August’s reverse fixture between the pair. The Brighton loanee is as big as 11/2 on Boylesports to make the net bulge Villa Park this weekend.
Predicted line-ups
Jhon Duran will serve the second of his three-match suspension this weekend, however Matty Cash will come off the naughty step for this all-Midlands affair.
Jordan Ayew missed out against Man City due to an accumulation of yellow cards, however he is expected to come back into the Leicester starting XI on Saturday afternoon.
Aston Villa: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; McGinn, Kamara, Onana, Tielemans, Rogers; Watkins
Leicester: Stolarczyk; Justin, Okoli, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Winks, Soumare; Ayew, Buonanotte, Mavididi; Vardy
Anything else catch the eye?
Look for Leicester’s Boubakary Soumare to commit two or more fouls during this dust-up at 11/8 on PaddyPower.
The French midfielder has overstepped the mark a combined total of seven times across the Foxes’ previous three Premier League games.
Soumare sinned three times against both Wolves and Man City either side of Christmas, making two or more misdemeanours from him here an appealing prospect at the odds on offer.
This English Premier League match between Aston Villa and Leicester City will be played on Jan 4, 2025 and kick off at 15:00. Check below for our tipsters best Aston Villa vs Leicester City prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
