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Aston Villa will take on Sunderland on Sunday, 19 April, as the Villains' pursuit of a top-five finish continues.
The final few weeks of the season have the makings of a historic one for Unai Emery's side, but they should not take anything for granted yet, particularly against a Sunderland side that has far exceeded expectations all season.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our Today's betting tips page for more of our free expert Premier League predictions.
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Aston Villa vs Sunderland key stats
- Sunderland have drawn four of their eight matches against the top five this season.
- Aston Villa have failed to win three of their last six home Premier League matches.
- Five of Sunderland's last six matches have produced fewer than three goals.
Aston Villa vs Sunderland preview: Tired legs to hamper the hosts?
| Aston Villa | vs | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | Position | 10th |
| 55 | Points | 46 |
| 43 | Goals For | 33 |
| 38 | Goals Against | 36 |
| 9 | Clean Sheets | 10 |
| 4th | Home Rank | 6th |
| 6th | Away Rank | 14th |
It feels as if the Unai Emery era at Villa Park gets better by the season, and if his side does get over the line in the Europa League this season while also finishing inside the top five in the Premier League, then it'll go down as one of the best in the club's history.
Villa's 4-0 triumph over Bologna on Thursday night was one of their best performances of the campaign and came at a time when they were starting to look like they were running out of energy.
Domestically, they have won just one of their last six Premier League fixtures, and the general consensus is that Thursday-Sunday football has now caught up with them.
Fortunately for Villa, the team around them haven't fared much better, which means they still hold a seven-point lead over Chelsea in sixth, giving them a fantastic opportunity to qualify for next season's edition of the UEFA Champions League.
For the match on Sunday, Emery will almost certainly shuffle the pack as he looks to manage minutes. Ross Barkley and Jadon Sancho are prime candidates to start, while Emiliano Martinez's return between the sticks has come at the perfect time.
As for Sunderland, there is absolutely still a huge window of opportunity for them to do something special this season.
Backed to go down before a ball was kicked, the Black Cats are now just two points adrift of the top six with six games to play. If they can find their best form over these final few weeks of the season, then European football could be played at the Stadium of Light next season.
Over their last two matches, Sunderland have rediscovered their best form after seemingly hitting a brick wall in February and March. The last-minute win at St James' Park will be remembered for eternity, and they have now just one of their last five league matches.
Unless Dan Ballard passes a late fitness test, manager Regis Le Bris will almost certainly field the same starting XI that came out on top against Tottenham last weekend.
Aston Villa vs Sunderland form guide & betting tips
| Aston Villa | vs | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|
| L-L-L-W-D | League Form | D-W-L-W-W |
| 4 | Points | 10 |
| 17th | Form Table | 6th |
| 5 | Goals For | 5 |
| 10 | Goals Against | 3 |
| W-D-W | Form (all comps) | L-W-W |
Whispers predicts: Aston Villa 1-1 Sunderland
The reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light finished 1-1, and both sides have combined for 17 draws in the Premier League this season. Another draw on Sunday has been priced at 11/4.
Neither of these teams are regularly involved in high-scoring fixtures, with ten of Villa's last 12 producing fewer than three goals. Under 2.5 goals has been remarkably priced at 10/11.
Ollie Watkins has scored four goals in his last four starts for Aston Villa. Watkins is priced at 7/5 to score anytime on Sunday.
> Draw at 11/4 | Likelihood: Possible
> Under 2.5 goals at 10/11 | Likelihood: Probable
> Ollie Watkins to score anytime at 7/5 | Likelihood: Possible