Champions League-chasing Aston Villa search to place their detached type behind them on Wednesday on the expense of an out-of-sorts Brighton aspect who’ve misplaced seven of the previous 9 league conferences.
Villa have gained simply two of their seven most up-to-date midweek Premier League video games, although each victories got here in opposition to Brighton – together with by a in December.
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Squeaky Brum time
Villa had an eight-point cushion in third place after 20 video games, and had been 11 away from fifth. After Tuesday night time’s outcomes, they’re now two factors away from fourth-placed with an additional level behind.
It is only one win, three targets and 5 factors from as many league video games for Unai Emery’s aspect, who’re in peril of turning into the primary English top-flight crew to lose three successive residence matches after profitable the earlier eight.
Following Saturday’s hard-fought draw at Emery informed the media: “Two months in the past you had been saying we’re contenders to win the Premier League. Now, two months on, all the things I informed you two months in the past is smart. Why? As a result of the Premier League is a really troublesome league.”
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In fact, the overwhelming majority of Villa supporters by no means actually believed their aspect had been title contenders this season. Their concern now could be whether or not the crew can overcome the destabilising impact of key midfield accidents and discover a approach to stay firmly within the hunt for Champions League qualification and trophy success through the Europa League or FA Cup.
Consolation will be discovered within the reality Villa are 4 wins and 9 factors higher off than at this stage final season, when solely objective distinction stored them out of the Champions League. They are a mere two factors down on the 2023-24 marketing campaign, during which they completed fourth.
Rogers rivalling finest younger attacking gamers in Europe
Morgan Rogers has overcome a poor begin to the season to turn out to be Villa’s trump card this season. Whereas Ollie Watkins and Villa’s summer time attacking reinforcements battle to supply an finish product, Rogers has already equalled final season’s tally of eight league targets.
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He’s additionally one among solely 5 gamers nonetheless beneath the age of 24 in Europe’s prime 5 leagues to have managed a minimal 20 targets and 20 assists for the reason that begin of final season.
[BBC]
Brighton rocked
Whereas Aston Villa are experiencing a wobble, Brighton are struggling a disaster of confidence. Albion had been booed off following Sunday’s residence defeat by with some followers calling for head coach Fabian Hurzeler to be sacked.
Brighton, who had been restricted to a season’s low of 13 touches within the opposition penalty space in opposition to Palace, have solely crushed of their previous 12 top-flight fixtures.
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“Now we have a lack of self-confidence, and the way you get the self-confidence again is barely by getting the proper outcomes,” mentioned Hurzeler, who might give James Milner a Premier League record-equalling 653rd look.
Albion have taken simply two factors from their previous 5 away matches and gained three of their 26 Premier League video games performed on a Wednesday; that 11.5% win price is the bottom amongst present sides within the division.
Their lack of type will be traced again to the reverse fixture in opposition to Aston Villa on 3 December. Brighton led 2-0 and would have gone third within the desk, above Villa, had they gained – solely to lose 4-3. Their document since then is the third worst within the division.
[BBC]