At A Glance
Selhurst Park is the destination for Aston Villa’s next Premier League outing on Sunday as they take on Crystal Palace.
A top ten finish is still within reach for Dean Smith’s side heading into the final three games, and those hopes would be boosted by completing a league double against the Eagles.
After picking up one point from the last two games, both at Villa Park, the Villans will look to lean on the strong away form that has yielded 27 points from 17 games.
Palace are on a run of one win in six games, losing four of those matches.
Former Villan Christian Benteke gave the Londoners an early lead against Southampton in midweek before the Saints ran out 3-1 winners.
Wilfried Zaha is the only Palace player to hit double figures so far this term, netting ten times.
Standout Stats
Crystal Palace have lost just one of their last 12 home league games against Aston Villa (W6 D5), going down 0-1 in December 2014.
Aston Villa are looking to complete their first league double over Crystal Palace since the 1980-81 season, when the Villans last won the top-flight title.
Crystal Palace have only conceded five goals in their last 15 home league games against Aston Villa and never more than once in a game in this run. Indeed, the last time the Villans scored more than once in an away league game against the Eagles was in December 1968, a 2-4 defeat in the second tier.
Aston Villa have won two of their four Premier League games in London this season (D1 L1), winning 3-0 away at both Fulham and Arsenal. They last won more top-flight games in the capital in a single campaign back in 2008-09 (3).
Crystal Palace have scored just two goals in their last six home Premier League matches (W1 D2 L3), with the Eagles scoring the fewest home goals in the division since the start of last season among the 17 teams to feature in both seasons (31).
Aston Villa have won all three away Premier League matches played on a Sunday this season, scoring seven times and conceding none – prior to this run, they had gone 20 away top-flight Sunday matches without winning between September 2011 and July 2020 (D6 L14).
Aston Villa have won eight away Premier League matches this season, as many as they managed in their previous three seasons in the top-flight. They last won more in a season back in 2009-10 under Martin O’Neill (9).
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has won more Premier League matches against Aston Villa than any other opponent (8), winning six of his eight home Premier League encounters with the Villans (D1 L1).
Since leaving Aston Villa, Crystal Palace’s Christian Benteke is yet to score against them in the Premier League in four games, attempting 10 shots without scoring. He has only had more shots against Man City (22), Watford (18) and Fulham (14) in the Premier League without scoring than versus his former side Villa.
Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi has scored six goals in 13 away Premier League appearances this season, only netting more away league goals in one season in his professional career, scoring seven in 2015-16 in the Eredivisie for Ajax.
The Last Meeting
Tyrone Mings’ first half sending off failed to derail Aston Villa as they brushed Crystal Palace aside at Villa Park in December.
Betrand Traore gave the hosts an early lead before the defender was dismissed just before the break.
Kortney Hause scored the second before Anwar El Ghazi wrapped up the win with a superb strike.
Team News
Ollie Watkins is available after serving a one-game suspension, while Morgan Sanson and Trezeguet are Villa’s only injury absentees.
The Eagles have a number of players sidelined for the match, including James McArthur, Connor Wickham, Nathan Ferguson and Mamadou Sakho.
James Tomkins is back in training and could feature at Selhurst Park.
The Boss
“He’s (Roy Hodgson) been an unbelievable manager, coach and servant to football. I hope that continues if he wants it to. He’s certainly one that we – us British managers – can look up to for the journey he’s had and the clubs he’s had. He’s never been afraid to go abroad and try another level, enjoying fantastic success.”
Dean Smith
