Directive match at Villa Park!
On Wednesday evening Leeds United are the guests at Villa Park in Birmingham. Marcelo Bielsa’s team is breathing air again in the relegation battle and arrives at the opposing arena very rested. More than two weeks without a competitive match is an eternity in England. Tactician Bielsa will certainly have used this time to prepare for the match in the best possible way. But the hosts, with still-fresh coach Steven Gerrard, have also had a similarly long time off. The duel could therefore be a bit of a surprise packet.
Place 15 in the league stands for a rather mixed season for Leeds. The same goes for Aston Villa, who are only eleventh in the Premier League table. It is now time to turn the season around. For Leeds, it’s about putting some distance between themselves and the relegation places. Aston Villa could attack the top again.
So two teams are expected to fight with passion for three points. Villa enjoy home advantage, most recently earning a point at home against Manchester United after going behind. The hosts are favourites.
Aston Villa – Statistics & current form
Steven Gerrard has been in charge at the previously crisis-hit Villans since November. The Liverpool legend had previously excelled at Glasgow Rangers and is now looking to prove himself as a coach in the Premier League. His points average of 1.6 in his first ten games as Villa coach is presentable.
Coutinho as saviour
Not only Gerrard brings a breath of fresh air to Villa Park, Brazilian Philippe Coutinho is also a new face at the men from Birmingham’s Aston district. In his first game, the former FC Barcelona player was immediately convincing with two scorer points. The man who won the Champions League with Bayern Munich definitely has the potential to lift Villa to a new level. The next few weeks will show whether he is still capable of doing so. In the Aston Villa vs. Leeds clash, the odds on the Brazilian scoring are 3.1.
Where does the road lead
Can Aston Villa make another run at the top? For that to happen, Gerrard’s men would definitely need more consistency in their results. In 2022, they won, drew and lost once in the league. They were also knocked out of the FA Cup against United. The longer regeneration period was Gerrard’s chance to inculcate a winning mentality in the team. Against Leeds, three points are therefore a must for the Villains. Predicting a home win in the Aston Villa vs Leeds clash is an option.
Predicted line-up of Aston Villa:
E. Martinez – Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne – McGinn, Douglas Luiz, J. Ramsey – Buendia, Watkins, Coutinho
Last matches played by Aston Villa:
Club friendlies
02/05 2022 – Aston Villa 3 – 1 Molde
Premier League
01/22 2022 – Everton 0 – 1 Aston Villa
01/15 2022 – Aston Villa 2 – 2 Manchester United
FA Cup
01/10 2022 – Manchester United 1 – 0 Aston Villa
Premier League
01/02 2022 – Brentford 2 – 1 Aston Villa
Leeds – Statistics & current form
To call Marcelo Bielsa a coaching icon is an understatement. The Argentine was once even visited by Pep Guardiola because the latter wanted to further his education. El Loco” has also long been a legend in Leeds. However, it is also known about him that he handles defeats badly and sometimes locks himself up for days afterwards. This season he would have had every reason to do so at Leeds as well.
At rock bottom at Leeds
It’s 14 December last year as Leeds go down 7-0 at league leaders Manchester City. Before and after that, they suffered defeats at the hands of Chelsea FC and Arsenal London. They conceded 14 goals in three games. Pure poison for the soul of legendary coach Bielsa. You might even call it lucky that all the Whites’ games in 2021 thereafter were cancelled because of the virus. The fifteenth-placed team in the table had time to breathe.
Upward trend visible
In 2022, they were knocked out of the prestigious FA Cup, but have already recorded two victories in the league. They beat Burnley FC at home and West Ham 3-2 away from home, but they suffered another setback on the last matchday when they were beaten by Newcastle. They are again underdogs against Villa on Wednesday, a role that has not suited Bielsa’s men this season. In the Aston Villa vs Leeds clash, a prediction of an away win is bold.
Predicted Leeds line-up:
Meslier – Ayling, D. Llorente, Struijk, Dallas – R. Koch, Klich, Raphinha, Rodrigo Moreno, Harrison – James
Last matches played by Leeds:
Premier League
01/22 2022 – Leeds 0 – 1 Newcastle United
01/16 2022 – West Ham 2 – 3 Leeds
FA Cup
01/09 2022 – West Ham 2 – 0 Leeds
Premier League
01/02 2022 – Leeds 3 – 1 Burnley
12/18 2021 – Leeds 1 – 4 Arsenal London
Aston Villa – Leeds Direct Comparison / H2H Record
Aston Villa vs Leeds United is a duel with historical significance that dates back to the 1920s. In 101 duels, the “Villains” retained the upper hand 39 times, Leeds triumphed 32 times. A minimal tendency, but one that makes no real difference due to the great history. Based on the past, one can rather speak of a duel of equals. Placing a bet on the Premier League match Aston Villa vs. Leeds based on past results makes little sense.
The recent past is usually more meaningful, but even here there are few insights to be gained. However, the first leg in December was called off because of Corona. The two games from last season had different winners. The third last meeting between the two traditional clubs was more than 17 years ago. It is Steven Gerrard’s first duel with Leeds as coach. Bielsa’s record against Aston Villa is positive, with two wins and a draw from four games.
Aston Villa – Leeds Tip
Both teams have had an extended break to regenerate and bring in new game ideas. For the still relatively freshly hired Villa coach Steven Gerrard, this could probably have been even more fruitful than on the opposite side. The last results and also the historical comparison do not show any particular swings. The two teams are both still finding their feet. In the duel Aston Villa vs. Leeds, the betting odds on a home win are around 1.8.
Since neither the goal difference nor the current form nor any other special features show a clear tendency, we stick to the hard facts in our forecast. Villa have the better squad and Vila need three points to stay on top. In addition, the red wine team is playing in front of a home crowd. Steven Gerrard is still a fresh coach in the ascendancy and has got a world-class player in Coutinho, whom he now wants to shape. Our tip for the Aston Villa vs. Leeds clash is therefore a home win.
