Fulham vs Aston Villa

Craven Cottage is the venue as Fulham and Aston Villa go head-to-head in an exciting Premier League encounter.

Fulham entered the international break with their spirits wracked after a 3-2 defeat at perennial champions Manchester City knocked them down from a five-game unbeaten league run (W3, D2). Their only previous Premier League defeat this season came on matchday one against Manchester United, as Marco Silva’s men sit eighth ahead of the kick-off. The Cottagers have been impressive at home, with West Ham’s 95th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw last month denying them a perfect top-flight record at Craven Cottage this season (W2, D1). However, their superb home run is under imminent threat, with Aston Villa rolling into town on the back of a three-match winning H2H streak, including a 2-1 victory in this corresponding fixture in February.

Aston Villa’s dominant H2H form should settle Unai Emery’s nerves after his team shared the spoils with Manchester United in a frustrating 0-0 draw last time out despite generating an xG of 0.88. That was a minor setback in their quest to replicate a remarkable top-four finish in 2023/24 but still extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to eight games (W6, D2). The Lions have been outstanding on the road this season, racking up a four-game winning away run before being held to a 2-2 draw by newcomers Ipswich Town on their last Premier League travel. Firing on all cylinders, Emery’s side netted 2+ goals in all five matches outside Villa Park, suggesting a high-scoring contest could be on the cards.