Sunderland are set to take on Aston Villa on Sunday, 21 September, as the Premier League enters gameweek five.
The hosts have fared well at the Stadium of Light so far this season, so they will be excited for this one. Aston Villa, on the other hand, have had a miserable start to the season but will believe this is a good opportunity to pick up their first win of the campaign.
As part of this week's round of Premier League betting tips, check out our Sunderland vs Aston Villa prediction below.
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Sunderland vs Aston Villa prediction: The hosts to avoid defeat
Key Stats
- Sunderland have won both of their previous home league matches at the Stadium of Light this season.
- Aston Villa haven't won a game yet this season.
- Fewer than three goals have been scored in three of Aston Villa's four league games this season.
Correct score prediction: Sunderland 1-1 Aston Villa
Sunderland's home form can't be ignored here, nor can Aston Villa's stagnation under Unai Emery. The Villains are seriously lacking attacking ideas this season, and unless something dramatic changes on Sunday, it's very hard to see them scoring more than once.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Villa go in as favourites
- HOME: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.6%
- DRAW: 9/4 (3.25) – 30.8%
- AWAY: 23/20 (2.15) – 46.5%
*odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
The Sunderland vs Aston Villa odds are surprisingly weighted in favour of the visitors, with the bookies seemingly ignoring their torrid start to the new season. Ladbrokes have given Aston Villa a 46.5% chance of winning the match, while Sunderland have been given a 28.6% chance of victory.
You can find all our predictions for today's games on our football betting tips page.
Most recent H2Hs: A first meeting in seven years
We shouldn't read too much into the most recent clashes between Sunderland and Aston Villa, as the last time they faced each other was in 2018, when they were both in the Championship with very different squads. For what it's worth, Villa did the double over the Black Cats that season.
England Championship 06/03/18
Sunderland
Aston Villa
England Championship 21/11/17
Aston Villa
Sunderland
England Premier League 02/01/16
Sunderland
Aston Villa
England Premier League 29/08/15
Aston Villa
Sunderland
England Premier League 14/03/15
Sunderland
Aston Villa
Sunderland preview: Le Fee to return
After missing the Black Cats' draw with Crystal Palace last weekend, Enzo le Fee has been confirmed as fit to return this week and should slot straight back into the midfield alongside Granit Xhaka. The rest of the team will remain largely the same, with no new injuries to report.
Predicted lineup: Roefs (GK), Hume, Ballard, Alderete, Mandava, Le Fee, Xhaka, Sadiki, Talbi, Isidor, Adingra
Last five results
- Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland
- Sunderland 2-1 Brentford
- Sunderland 1-1 Huddersfield
- Burnley 2-0 Sunderland
- Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
Aston Villa preview: Elliott and Sancho to start?
Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho could make their first league starts for Aston Villa this weekend, and a bit of fresh blood could be exactly what this team needs to rediscover its energy. On the flip side, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans are both out injured, so Villa are light in midfield.
Predicted lineup: Martinez (GK), Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Bogarde, Sancho, Elliott, Rogers, Watkins
Last five results
- Brentford 1-1 Aston Villa
- Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 0-3 Crystal Palace
- Brentford 1-0 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle
Player to watch: Jadon Sancho
Despite crashing out of the Carabao Cup in the week, Aston Villa should still be encouraged by the performance of Jadon Sancho, who was a constant threat down the left-hand side throughout the evening. That performance should earn Sancho a league start here, as he begins his redemption tour.