At A Glance
A positive year for Aston Villa draws to a close with a Premier League game against Burnley at Villa Park on Saturday.
The team have set a club record of 25 top-flight wins in a calendar year and another win will ensure the club begin 2024 in the top three.
Unai Emery’s side will also be keen to get back to winning ways at Villa Park after being held to a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United before Christmas.
Burnley arrive in B6 in the relegation zone after picking up 11 points from 19 matches.
Eight of those points have been won on the road as the Clarets have enjoyed better fortunes away from Turf Moor.
Vincent Kompany’s side lost 2-0 against Liverpool in their last outing.
Standout Stats
This is the 100th top-flight meeting. Aston Villa lead by 42 wins to Burnley's 34, with 23 draws.
Villa won the reverse fixture 3-1 in August and are vying to complete the league double over Burnley for the first time since 1925-26.
Burnley are unbeaten on their past four visits to Villa Park, with each of the last three ending in a draw.
Aston Villa's 10-match unbeaten league run ended on Boxing Day. They are winless in successive league games for the first time this season.
Burnley kept a first clean sheet in 16 Premier League away matches when they beat Fulham 2-0 on their last road trip.
Villa dropped points from a winning position for the first time this season against Manchester United, having won their previous 12 top-flight matches when ahead.
Burnley are aiming to earn consecutive top-flight away victories for the first time since May 2021.
Villa’s current 23-match scoring streak in Premier League home games is Villa's longest since a run of 33 between May 1982 and December 1983.
The Clarets are the only side in the division yet to earn a point from a losing position this season.
Unai Emery's side have equalled the club record of 31 league and cup wins in a calendar year, first set in 1977.
Ollie Watkins has scored 21 top-flight goals in 2023. No Villa player has been more prolific in a calendar year since Andy Gray netted 23 times in 1976.
Wilson Odobert can become the first Burnley player to score in three successive top-flight away games since Ray Harkin in 1976.
The Last Meeting
Aston Villa enjoyed away day success at Turf Moor in August on the back of a brace from Matty Cash on his 100th appearance for the club.
The Poland international, operating in right midfield, slid home to convert Ollie Watkins’ ball across the face of goal in the eighth minute to put the Villans in command.
And Cash doubled his tally shortly afterwards as he played a one-two with Moussa Diaby before lashing home.
The Clarets reduced Villa’s lead through Lyle Foster, but Diaby’s second Premier League goal for the club, sweeping home Lucas Digne’s pass from 18 yards, wrapped up all three points.
Team News
Matty Cash is available to return after a one-match suspension, while Boubacar Kamara serves the last game of his ban.
Lucas Digne will be out for around three weeks after picking up an injury last time out, joining Tyrone Mings, Emi Buendia and Bertrand Traore on the sidelines.
Burnley are waiting to see if Jack Cork is ready to return, while former Villan Aaron Ramsey returned from injury last time out.
The Boss
"I appreciate a lot how they are playing and competing. They are a team that’s adapting everything they need to improve. Their style is a strong style, playing with good positioning. They were successful last year and the Championship and they weren’t successful at the beginning of the season in the Premier League. They adapted so quickly to the new things tactically that they needed to add. Analysing (Vincent) Kompany and Burnley, it’s going to be a very difficult match.”
Unai Emery
