After crashing out of the EFL Cup third round in midweek, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion will endeavour to return to winning ways when they do battle at Villa Park in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.
While the Lions were beaten 2-1 at home to Everton on Wednesday, the Seagulls suffered a slender 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on the same day.
Match preview
© Reuters
Amidst juggling domestic and European duties, Aston Villa have experienced an inconsistent run of form in recent weeks, alternating between victory and defeat in each of their last six matches in all competitions.
Unai Emery's side quickly moved on for a 3-2 loss at Legia Warsaw in their opening Europa Conference League group-stage game by beating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League last weekend, but they have since been put to the sword by Everton in the EFL Cup, exiting in the third round for the second successive year.
Boubacar Kamara's first goal for Villa seven minutes from time proved inconsequential as earlier strikes either side of half time from James Garner and Dominic Calvert-Lewin helped Everton book their place in the fourth round.
Defeat to the Toffees ended Villa's 100% start to the new season on home soil having previously won three in a row by an aggregate score of 10-1, but Emery's side can be confident of success on Saturday considering their impressive home form in the Premier League.
Indeed, Villa have won each of their last nine top-flight home games, their best winning spell in front of their own fans since a run of 13 consecutive victories between February and October 1983, while they have won each of their last four league meetings with Brighton, including a 2-1 home success on the final day of last season.
© Reuters
Like Aston Villa, Brighton have won one and lost two of their last three games across three different competitions, with a 3-1 comeback victory over Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend sandwiched between a Europa League loss to AEK Athens and the midweek defeat to Chelsea in the EFL Cup.
Despite boasting over 60% possession at Stamford Bridge, the Seagulls lacked a cutting edge in the final third, hitting just two of their 13 shots on target, and the tie was ultimately settled by a 50th-minute strike from Nicolas Jackson.
Roberto De Zerbi was left disappointed with the result and has encouraged the younger players in his squad to improve and "progress quicky" during their hectic fixture schedule, with three challenging games in eight days on the horizon against Aston Villa, Marseille and Liverpool.
Despite their EFL Cup exit and slow start in Europe, Brighton have made a notable impression in the Premier League this season, winning five of their opening six games and scoring a league-high 18 goals in the process.
Sitting third in the table and three points clear of Aston Villa in sixth, Brighton – who have already beaten Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers away from home this season – are looking to win six of their first seven matches in a league season for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign when they were competing in the Championship.
Team News
© Reuters
Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey is ruled out after being forced off with a thigh strain in midweek, and he joins Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia (both knee) on the sidelines, while Jacob Ramsey is doubtful with a "small injury" and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Alex Moreno is closing in on a return from a hamstring problem, but Saturday's game will likely come too soon for the Spaniard, so Lucas Digne is set to be recalled at left-back, allowing John McGinn to swap his makeshift defensive role in midweek for a more familiar outing in centre-midfield.
Emiliano Martinez, Kamara, Nicolo Zaniolo and Ollie Watkins are all expected to return to the first XI, with Robin Olsen, Leander Dendoncker, Youri Tielemans and Jhon Duran set to drop down to the substitutes' bench.
As for Brighton, Adam Lallana will not be involved due to a minor injury, and he will join Pascal Gross, James Milner (both muscle), Julio Enciso and Jakub Moder (both knee) in the treatment room, but Evan Ferguson is available for selection after recovering from illness.
De Zerbi opted to withdraw Ansu Fati at half time against Chelsea to avoid the risk of the attacker picking up an injury, but the Barcelona loanee should be in contention to start on Saturday along with the likes of Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March, Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck and Ferguson.
Adam Webster was not named in the matchday squad in midweek, but he should be fit to return to the first XI and partner captain Lewis Dunk at centre-back, while Tariq Lamptey will hope to fend of competition from Joel Veltman for a start at right-back.
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Zaniolo, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn; Diaby, Watkins
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Steele; Lamptey, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Gilmour, Dahoud; March, Fati, Mitoma; Pedro
We say: Aston Villa 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
A closely-fought contest between two evenly-matches sides could be in store on Saturday, with one of the Premier League's in-form teams in Brighton ready to test their mettle against an Aston Villa outfit who boast a strong home record in the top flight.
Both teams can expect to have plenty of chances in the final third, but with little to separate these two clubs, an entertaining score draw may be on the cards this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
