Aston Villa vs Bournemouth Preview: Can Villa Stay in the Top Four?

Aston Villa will seek a home win against mid-table Bournemouth this Saturday to consolidate a position in the top four.

Fresh from a shocking upset against Arsenal 2-0, the Cherries will be looking at a second successive upset. But whether Andoni Iraola’s team can pull a surprise on Villa at Villa Park remains to be seen.

Aston Villa vs Bournemouth Prediction: Home Win Likely?

Key Stats:

Bournemouth have lost three of their last five Premier League matches.
Aston Villa are unbeaten against Bournemouth in the last three with two wins coming from those, one of them in the league.
Five of the last six head-to-heads feature over 2.5 goals.
Three of the last six respective matches for each of these two teams see them concede over 2.5 goals.

Correct Score Prediction:

Aston Villa 2-1 Bournemouth
We predict a narrow 2-1 victory for Villa. Though Villa may have some tired legs after their midweek European exploits, Bournemouth will come into the match with confidence after beating Arsenal. However, Villa’s form and quality at home should give them the edge.

Pre-Game Odds & Win Probability: Villa Favored
Odds:

Home (Aston Villa): 19/20 (1.95) – 51.3%
Draw: 29/10 (3.90) – 25.6%
Away (Bournemouth): 29/10 (3.90) – 25.6%
Aston Villa is clear favourite with a 51.3% of win probability and it’s hard to disagree, looking at recent performances.

Recent Head-to-Head: Evenly Matched
The last five league meetings between the Villans and Bournemouth have been quite evenly poised, as both teams have two wins and one draw to their name and two losses each.

Most Recent Results:

21/04/24: Aston Villa 3-1 Bournemouth
03/12/23: Bournemouth 2-2 Aston Villa
18/03/23: Aston Villa 3-0 Bournemouth
06/08/22: Bournemouth 2-0 Aston Villa
01/02/24: Bournemouth 2-1 Aston Villa
Aston Villa: Balancing Success in Europe and the Premier League
The Villans went on to complete an easy 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna, making it three wins from three in Europe, and also sit fourth in the Premier League – tied on points with Arsenal – after a 3-1 win over Fulham last weekend.

However, they will be without the services of Jaden Philogene-Bidace, sent off against Fulham, and Tyrone Mings and Robin Olsen because of injuries.

Predicted Lineup: Martinez (GK), Digne, Carlos, Torres, Cash, Tielemans, Bailey, Ramsey, Onana, Watkins, Rogers

Bournemouth: Riding High After Arsenal Upset
Bournemouth responded to their frustrating defeat at Leicester by sealing a sensational 2-0 victory over Arsenal. Andoni Iraola’s side took full advantage of William Saliba’s sending-off and bossed the second period. The Cherries will hope to carry that momentum into their clash with Villa.

The team has no fresh injury concerns or suspensions, so they are pretty much set for another good performance on the road.

Predicted Lineup: Kepa (GK), Senesi, Araujo, Zabarnyi, Kerkez, Cook, Tavernier, Scott, Semenyo, Evanilson, Ouattara