Premiership: Wolves v Aston Villa

Premier League Tips

 

Premiership
Wolves (15th) v Aston Villa (8th)
Sunday 26th September 2010 – 2.05pm
This weekend in the Premiership sees another midlands derby – this time, Wolves take on rivals Aston Villa at their Molineux ground on Sunday.
New Villa manager, Gerard Houillier has signed a new 3 year deal, and takes charge of his first Premier match since leaving Liverpool in 2004. He’ll be hoping to make it two wins out of two following success in their midweek Carling Cup match over Blackburn Rovers.
Wolves have started their new Premiership campaign at home on a positive note with a 2-1 win over Stoke City, and then drawing 1-1 with Newcastle United, who incidentally handed out a 6-0 drubbing of Aston Villa earlier in the season.
At Molineux, they’ve scored and conceded in each of their last four matches, and are unbeaten at home in their last six matches.
Up front, the attacking options are strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (2 goals), ex-Burnley hitman Steven Fletcher (2 goals) and Kevin Doyle who has yet to hit the net, but has provided 2 assists so far. Also, on loan striker Marcus Bent has joined from Birmingham City. Midfielder Matthew Jarvis should be returning to the squad following an injury.
Villa have made a torrid start on the road in this new season, losing 0-6 at Newcastle United (few would have predicted such a scoreline), and 1-2 at Stoke City. Their standing of 8th in the league is thus largely thanks to solid home performances and remain unbeaten in their first three matches at Villa Park.
Villa will be sweating on the fitness of influential attacking pair Gabriel Agbonlahor (1 assist) and Stephen Ireland who are both doubtful at this stage.
But if Houillier can encourage Heskey to replicate the form he showed under him at Liverpool again, well who knows? Winger Stewart Downing (2 goals) is expected to return following a groin strain, but defender Richard Dunne is out with a knee injury.
The Verdict: Being a midlands derby, and with what happened last week still fresh in my mind, I’m loathe to back Villa at all, given their away form of late even with a handicap, so instead I’m backing both to score in this combative derby.
Pick: Both teams to score @ 1.80 with bet365 looking the safest option in a derby!