Brentford vs Aston Villa

Gtech Community Stadium sets the stage for a mid-table Premier League match between Brentford and Aston Villa.

Despite trailing top-half Aston Villa by a single place pre-round, Brentford can’t climb the ladder as they sit four points beneath their opposition after drawing 1-1 against Everton last weekend. That result contributed to Brentford’s underwhelming seven-game winless streak at the Gtech Community Stadium in all competitions (D2, L5). Since six of those seven matches came in the Premier League, the Bees are enduring their worst winless home league run since 2006! Ending that streak against Aston Villa will be easier said than done, considering Thoams Frank’s men are winless in their last five H2Hs (D2, L3), including a 3-1 defeat in this season’s reverse fixture at Villa Park.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa received an ultimate confidence booster ahead of this trip, beating Club Brugge 3-1 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie to snap a dreadful three-game losing streak on the road in all competitions. However, Unai Emery’s charges have stuttered in the Premier League, winning just one of their last seven matches (D4, L2), with both defeats coming away from home and yielding multi-goal margins. Furthermore, the Lions have suffered as many as seven defeats across their last nine Premier League away games (W1, D1). Defying that unenviable run would see Aston Villa complete their first league double over Brentford since 1946/47.