Villans can claim vital win
It’s the visitors that appear to have the greater momentum ahead of their Premier League match at Fulham today.
The Cottagers are in poor form, having won only one of their past six games across all competitions. That lone victory came at home against the now relegated Burnley and they have failed to score in their previous two outings.
Fulham, 12th in the Premier League, are still in with a chance of qualifying to play in Europe next season. Yet time is running out for them and they have some tough fixtures to come, including a trip to Arsenal next weekend.
Aston Villa are in an altogether healthier position. They are currently fourth in the table and looking to book a top-five spot to return to the Champions League in 2026-27.
The West Midlanders are also in the semi-finals of the Europa League where they will play Nottingham Forest over two legs. That competition offers Champions League qualification for the winners, so Unai Emery’s team have two chances to secure a place.
While there is a danger that Villa will have one eye on their first leg against the Tricky Trees on Thursday, I think that they will be keen to get Premier League points in the bag and leave nothing to chance.
Looking at their remaining fixtures, the Birmingham club will face some potentially difficult opponents: a Tottenham Hotspur side fighting against relegation, fellow Champions League chasers Liverpool, and an away trip to Manchester City on the final day of the season, in which the hosts may need a win to lift the title.
This game against Fulham looks to be one of their easier assignments, along with an away trip to Burnley. Villa will go into this match in good form, having not lost any of their past six games and winning five of them.
The Cottagers are a decent side and this is unlikely to be an easy afternoon for Aston Villa away from home. For that reason, I’m playing it safe by backing the visitors in the draw no bet market at 5/6.