Aston Villa will be hoping to bounce back from their 3-0 loss at Liverpool in the Premier League last time out, as they host Crystal Palace at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, their visitors beat Wolves 3-2 last weekend, enabling them to climb above Villa in the process.
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Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace H2H Record
Villa and Palace have met each other 51 times across all competitions in the past, with the Villans winning more encounters than the Eagles:
- Villa wins: 22
- Draws: 15
- Palace wins: 14
They first faced off in the FA Cup in the 1912/13 season, when Villa won 5-0, but no game has ever been as one-sided since. In the Premier League era, they have tended to be cagey affairs, with no team winning by more than three goals in the league, and with no more than five goals scored between them in a match.
Last time out…
The two sides most recently met in March, when a Joachim Andersen own goal was enough to give Villa a 1-0 win at home. Cheick Doucoure was also sent off for the visitors after picking up two bookings, in what was one of Patrick Vieira's final few games in charge of the South Londoners before he was replaced by Roy Hodgson.
Villa's win was part of a 10-match unbeaten run under Unai Emery, as they ended up qualifying for European football.
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace H2H: Potential MVP
Odsonne Edouard seems to be a player reborn this season, scoring three of Palace's five league goals, and netting in four of his previous six Premier League games. He netted twice in the 3-2 win against Wolves at Selhurst Park last time out.
He had scored as many in his last 42 top-flight appearances prior to this season's opener, and seems to be relishing playing under Hodgson. Granted, the striker has never scored against Villa in three previous attempts, but he could hardly be better placed to break that duck on Saturday.
Aston Villa: Players in focus
Any real case against Edouard is largely down to Villa winning both of their home matches in all competitions this season, scoring seven times without reply. These are the men most fancied to keep that rich vein of Villa Park form going:
Matty Cash – The new Cafu?
Cash will be looking to atone for the own goal he scored against Liverpool last weekend. He already has three goals in all competitions from the full-back position.
John McGinn – Scottish stallion
McGinn scored and assisted in Scotland's 3-0 dismantling of Cyprus on Friday, and will be looking to add to his existing tally for the Villans.
Moussa Diaby – Wing wizard
Diaby (pictured below) has excited the Villa faithful since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen, and already has two goals and one assist in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace: Players in focus
Rob Holding – Debut incoming?
Holding could make his debut after signing from Arsenal. It would be a significant chance to get one over his old boss Unai Emery.
Eberechi Eze – Palace's Lion
Fresh from playing for England against Scotland, Eze continues to impress, and he too netted against Wolves for Palace last time out.
Odsonne Edouard – On red-hot form
With two decisive goals so far this term, Edouard has already doubled the number of Premier League matchwinners he recorded last season.
Final prediction
Given how previous fixtures have gone in the Premier League, we do not expect many goals in this one. Villa's home form may give them the slight edge, but Palace are unbeaten away, and with Edouard enjoying a purple patch, we expect him to have a say on the result.
We're saying a 1-1 draw and Edouard to score.
