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Walsall continue their preparations for the new League Two season when they welcome Aston Villa to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium for their traditional pre-season meeting on Tuesday evening.
Lee Grant takes charge of just his second friendly since being appointed Walsall manager, following Mat Sadler's departure in March and Darren Byfield's caretaker spell for the remainder of last season.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery's side return to action for the first time since beating Manchester City 2-1 on the final day of the Premier League campaign.
Aston Villa ended last season by securing Champions League qualification through both their fourth-placed Premier League finish and Europa League triumph, with the club now preparing for a campaign that begins with the UEFA Super Cup against PSG.
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 expert predictions.
Walsall v Aston Villa key stats
- Walsall ended their season with just one win across their final seven matches under caretaker boss Darren Byfield.
- The Saddlers scored and conceded 56 goals across their 46 League Two matches during the 2025-26 campaign.
- Aston Villa lifted the Europa League last season, securing their first major trophy since their League Cup triumph in 1996.
- Between November 6 and December 27, Aston Villa matched a club record run of 11 successive wins in all competitions, a feat previously only achieved in 1897 and 1914.
Walsall v Aston Villa preview: A chance for fringe and youth players to make their mark
Walsall v Aston Villa — Tale of the Tape
| Walsall (League Two) | vs | Aston Villa (Premier League) |
|---|---|---|
| 13th | Position | 4th |
| 65 | Points | 65 |
| 56 | Goals For | 56 |
| 56 | Goals Against | 49 |
| 11 | Clean Sheets | 9 |
| 19th / 6th | Home / Away Rank | 4th / 4th |
After ending a 30-year wait for silverware last season, Aston Villa begin their fourth campaign under Unai Emery with their annual pre-season meeting against Walsall.
The friendly at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium is Villa's first outing since their 2-1 victory over Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season.
Villa's success last season secured a place among Europe's elite once again, with their fourth-place league finish and Europa League triumph ensuring a return to the Champions League stage.
The focus now turns to the new campaign, which begins with a chance of further European glory when they face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup.
The summer transfer window has already been a busy period for Villa, with Johan Manzambi arriving after featuring in the Europa League final against them, while Youri Tielemans has departed for Manchester United.
Morgan Rogers is also expected to complete a move to Chelsea in the coming days, which would see him become the most expensive English player in history.
Ezri Konsa is unavailable for Tuesday's friendly after representing England at the World Cup and being granted additional time off following the tournament, although the majority of Villa's squad have returned to training at Bodymoor Heath.
Following the clash with Walsall, Villa will travel to Portugal to face Porto before returning to the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium to take on Real Sociedad.
Their pre-season schedule will then continue with three matches in Asia before their competitive campaign begins against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup.
As for the hosts, they begin the 2026-27 season under new management after Lee Grant was appointed following Mat Sadler's departure in March and Darren Byfield's caretaker spell for the final part of last season.
Grant arrives with previous managerial experience at League One side Huddersfield Town and will be tasked with ending Walsall's eight-year stay in League Two.
The managerial change came after the Saddlers suffered a dramatic collapse last season, with their 12-point lead at the top of the table disappearing during an eight-match winless run at home.
Walsall eventually finished mid-table after parting ways with Sadler, despite being in a strong position earlier in the campaign.
Their pre-season schedule is already underway after a goalless draw against Leamington last week, with further friendlies against Telford and Notts County to come before their EFL Cup opener against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Walsall vs Aston Villa form guide & betting tips
| Walsall | vs | Aston Villa |
|---|---|---|
L
W
L
L
D |
Form |
W
D
W
W
W
|
| 4 | Goals For | 15 |
| 10 | Goals Against | 5 |
D | Club Friendly | N/A |
Whispers predicts: Walsall 1-4 Aston Villa
There is a clear difference in quality between the two sides, with Walsall preparing for another League Two campaign while Aston Villa enter the new season as Europa League winners and Champions League qualifiers.
However, pre-season friendlies provide an opportunity for fringe players and academy prospects to impress, meaning the result is not always the main focus for either manager.
Villa's attacking quality should give them plenty of opportunities, while Walsall's defensive organisation could still make this a useful test ahead of their competitive fixtures.
We expect both teams to find the back of the net in an open contest, but Aston Villa's squad depth should see them come away with victory.
We are backing Tammy Abraham to score if he features, while Over 2.5 goals is our recommended tip.
> Aston Villa to win – (odds not available yet)
> Both teams to score – (odds not available yet)
> Tammy Abraham to score anytime – (odds not available yet)