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Sparks will fly as two Valencia-based sides go toe-to-toe with each other in the ninth round of La Liga at Estadio de la Ceramica on Saturday.
Elche will be hoping to improve their fortunes after an abysmal start to their campaign.
Villarreal, meanwhile, are eyeing a third consecutive home win.
Read our Villarreal vs Elche prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Villarreal vs Elche key stats
- Villarreal won three of their last four clashes with Elche.
- Six of the hosts' last seven matches have gone above the 2.5-goal mark.
- Both teams were on the scoresheet in five of Elche's last six games.
Villarreal vs Elche preview: Elche's struggles to continue?
Villarreal vs Elche — Tale of the Tape
| Villarreal | vs | Elche |
|---|---|---|
| 11th | Position | 18th |
| 8 | Points | 6 |
| 13 | Goals For | 11 |
| 13 | Goals Against | 17 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 17th | Home / Away Rank | 7th |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Villarreal bounced back from last weekend's 1-0 defeat against Real Madrid with a 3-1 victory over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
The Yellow Submarine's fortunes have improved over the course of the season; after failing to win their first six games in all competitions, they have won three of their four fixtures since.
Villarreal are one of four teams without a clean sheet in La Liga this season.
At the time of publishing, Inigo Perez's side are 11th in La Liga, having earned eight points from eight league outings. Nicolas Pepe (eye) and Tajon Buchanan (hamstring) are both still sidelined for the hosts.
Fan-favourite Gerard Moreno is expected to partner Georgian forward Georges Mikautadze in a two-man attack on Saturday. Both players have registered two league goals this season for the Yellow Submarine.
On the other hand, Elche played out a goalless draw with Celta Vigo in their last fixture. They prevented their opponents from registering a single shot on target, keeping a clean sheet for the first time this season.
This has not been a particularly pleasant campaig for Martin Anselmi's troops, as they have managed only one win in eight league outings this season.
Only two teams have conceded more goals than Elche in the Spanish top flight.
As a result, Elche are in the relegation zone in 18th place, having earned only six points from a possible 24. On the positive side, the visitors have no new injury concerns, although Yago Santiago remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Elche have had a poor track record against Villarreal in recent years, as they have three defeats in the last four H2Hs and have lost three consecutive trips to this stadium.
Villarreal vs Elche form guide & betting tips
| Villarreal | vs | Elche |
|---|---|---|
L
L
W
W
L
|
La Liga Form |
L
D
L
W
D
|
| 6 | Points | 5 |
| 10th | Form Table | 11th |
| 9 | Goals For | 8 |
| 8 | Goals Against | 8 |
L
W
W
L
W
|
Form (All Comps) |
L
D
L
W
D
|
Whispers Predicts: Villarreal 3-1 Elche
Priced at 1/2 (1.50), Villarreal are considered favourites by the bookmakers ahead of this clash.
The hosts have won three of their last four matches across all competitions, and considering their dominance in this fixture, we are confident that they will claim all the spoils here.
Five of Elche's last six matches, six of Villarreal's last seven games, and five of the last seven H2Hs featured goals at both ends, and this can be backed at 13/20 (1.65).
We also fancy a 3-1 correct score at 10/1 (11.00). The Yellow Submarine won three of their last four matches by the same scoreline, making this a enticing option to back using our Betano bonus code.
> Over 3.5 total goals at 23/20 (2.15) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 13/20 (1.65) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Villarreal at 1/2 (1.50) | Likelihood: Probable
> Villarreal & BTTS – Yes at 8/5 (2.60) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 3-1 at 10/1 (11.00) | Likelihood: Outsider