Brighton & Hove VS Aston Villa Match Prediction
2020-01-18
15:00:00
Brighton & Hove
VS
Aston Villa
Our Prediction Tip
Aston Villa will win this match.
2020-01-1815:00:00 Aston Villa will win this match.
Brighton and Aston Villa have met twice already this season – their first meetings since Brighton’s Premier League promotion in 2017 and only their fourth and fifth matches since both teams were last in the top flight together in 1983. In September’s Carabao Cup meeting, Jota, Conor Hourihane and Jack Grealish all scored for Aston Villa, with Hayden Roberts netting Brighton’s reply in a 3-1 away win. In the league at Villa Park, meanwhile, Grealish cancelled out Adam Webster’s opener before Matt Targett’s late winner for the home team – Brighton paying the price for Aaron Mooy’s early sending off.
Defeat to Manchester City last time out raised serious questions about Aston Villa’s defence – to concede six times to the back-to-back, reigning champions is not the biggest issue, but the manner of the goals was.
Too often, Villa were masters of their own downfall against Manchester City, they need to shore up defensively if they are to get back up the table.
Pepe Reina’s arrival in goal could help in that regard, and Matt Targett is close to a return to full fitness too on the left of the defence.
Brighton’s own recent form has not been spectacular in front of goal either – just one scored in three matches so far in 2020.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh got it – an important return to goalscoring ways for the Iranian either side of New Year’s Day – but the Seagulls have lost 1-0 in both games since.
They do not concede too many on the one hand, but their lack of recent goals is the reason they are just three points clear of Villa.
A win would pull the hosts away from the relegation zone and that is the incentive for Graham Potter’s side, but defeat sees them slide back into trouble.
For Villa, a win will put them level on points with their hosts. They need a vast improvement on their performance against Manchester City but, likewise, Brighton are a very different proposition to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Brighton & Hove Albion are favourites to win at home to Aston Villa, but Villa have beaten them twice this season and 4/1 with Ladbrokes, Betfair, Betway and 888sport on the visitors to win is a generous price.
Brighton have not impressed up front lately but Villa are defensively frail and both teams to score has been set at 4/6 with 888sport.
Villa to win and draw no bet may be a safer option, and that will still return 29/10 with 888sport, meanwhile.
Neal Maupay is evens to score at any time with Bet365, while Jack Grealish can be backed at a best price of 7/2 with Betfair and Paddy Power.
Villa need to get back to winning ways but they have beaten Brighton twice this season and this is a good opportunity to get back on track.
Aaron Mooy – who was sent off when these teams last met – will be assessed after suffering a knock, but Leon Balogun is out, as are Dan Burn and Jose Izquierdo still. Pascal Gross and Solly March were among those on the bench last weekend pushing for a recall.
Neal Maupay – Top of the goalscoring charts for the Seagulls this season, scoring seven and setting another one up.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh – Scored either side of the turn of the year to final open his Premier League tally. His equaliser against Chelsea was the most recent goal Brighton have scored.
Lewis Dunk – The commanding centre-back needs to take charge at the back, with Villa missing an out-and-out forward.
Brighton have lost their last two matches 1-0 – at home to Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup and away to Everton in the Premier League. Their only goal of 2020 so far was Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s late equaliser in the 1-1 home draw with Chelsea on New Year’s Day.
Wesley’s ACL injury, which sees him join goalkeeper Tom Heaton in being ruled out until next season now, was another attacking blow for Villa, for whom Keinan Davis is not fully fit and Jonathan Kodjia has been attempting to overcome illness to get back to full fitness too. Kodjia and Matt Targett (hamstring) could be in line for a return from injury, but John McGinn remains a long-term absentee too. Danny Drinkwater made his debut last time out and Pepe Reina could make his this time, after both have signed on loan during this transfer window.
Jack Grealish – Scored in both matches against Brighton so far this season, on his way to eight goals and six assists so far this season.
Conor Hourihane – Has netted seven times so far this season and also claimed two assists to make his mark on Villa’s Premier League return.
Anwar El Ghazi – His penalty against Manchester City takes him to six goals and six assists for the season up front.
Aston Villa picked up some very important points over Christmas and then knocked Huddersfield out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win last Saturday. In the league, Danny Ings struck twice and Jack Stephens bagged the other in a 3-1 win at Aston Villa, before Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond scored to down Chelsea on Boxing Day. Ings has then scored in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and the 1-0 win against Spurs on New Year’s Day.
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