Brighton Vs Aston Villa Betting Tip: Over 2.5 Goals – 18 January 2020

Amex six-pointer can deliver goals?

Danny Drinkwater /Aston Villa ©imago images / Focus Images 18.01.2020

Brighton Vs Aston Villa

Saturday 18th January 2020 – 15:00 Kick-Off
English Premier League
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: Betway

(All betting odds displayed in this article were correct at time of writing: 15th January 2020 at 10:20)

Preview: Just three points separate these two sides in the lower reaches of the Premier League table, making this a pivotal encounter at The Amex stadium between hosts Brighton and a travelling Aston Villa.

English Premier League Betting at 22Bet

Brighton Preview – Seagulls lacking form ahead of pivotal run of games?

Travelling has frequently proved an issue for Graham Potter and his Brighton side this season, and this was apparent on Merseyside a week ago during a 1-0 defeat to Everton. The Seagulls have now lost ten of their 22 league games since the start of the term and are now in the midst of a troubling period of form, having managed only one win from their previous seven Premier League fixtures (W1 D3 L3) – that a fairly routine 2-0 scoreline at home to out-of-sorts Bournemouth.

On top of these league woes there was also a swift exit from the FA Cup, narrowly losing out to Sheffield Wednesday despite boasting home advantage. In fairness it was a much-changed team for that encounter. Nevertheless it was yet another game that wasn’t won and just like how winning can quickly become a habit, so can the opposite – which makes this a crucial period in their season, with three of their next four opponents (Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Watford) embroiled in this intriguing relegation battle.

First up is Aston Villa at The Amex, which is a mixture of good and bad. Brighton have generally fared better on home soil this season, claiming 16 of their 24 points and scoring with more consistency – only three visiting sides have so far prevented them from scoring there. However, their opponents are of the less-than-favourable variety, having already beaten them twice in 2019/20: a 2-1 scoreline at Villa Park and, more pertinent to this weekend’s clash, prevailing 3-1 at The Amex in the League Cup.

 

Aston Villa & Over 2.5 Match Goals
7/1

Betway

Aston Villa Preview – Villa keen to atone for last week’s horrow show?

Dropping into the Premier League relegation zone following their shambolic showing against Manchester City at Villa Park last time out, it would be fair to surmise that Aston Villa (18th – W6 D3 L13, GF28 GA43) manager Dean Smith is under immense pressure. There are of course supporters whose minds are already made up. Those who believe the club should begin sounding out potential replacements. On the back of losing 6-1 at home, albeit to a very talented team, the club may find it difficult to counter these arguments.

Football can be fickle, though. It would only take for them to win this weekend, versus a team they have already played twice this season and won on both occasions, for the murmurs of discontent to quieten. Victory on their latest road outing, at struggling Burnley, means they are targeting back-to-back away wins in the top tier for the first time since September 2014. It is, however, worth remembering Villa had lost five of six previous away league games (D1 L5) prior to visiting Turf Moor.

It isn’t all doom and gloom, either. Their long-term league form may read two wins in nine (W2 D1 L6), however both their successes were earned this side of Christmas and were against a pair of relegation rivals in Norwich and, as already mentioned, Burnley. A resounding 3-0 loss at Watford is sandwiched in between but what it does highlight is that this team isn’t as inept as last week’s performance might otherwise suggest, and there is recent evidence for raising their level in the games which truly matter.

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Betting Summary

Despite a dip in form which has seen them win one of their last seven in the league, the bookmakers not only make Brighton favourites but strong ones at that. A significant factor in this thinking is Aston Villa‘s own turbulent form, although they have at least won on a couple of occasions recently, including on their recent outing at Burnley. So, provided there isn’t a hangover to last week’s Man City mauling, it would be rash to rule the visitors out.

Brighton Vs Aston Villa – Key Facts:

  • In their last nine Premier League home games, Brighton have only tasted defeat twice (W4 D3 L2).
  • Only recently, when winning 2-1 at Burnley on 1 January, did Aston Villa end a six-match winless away run (D1 L5).
  • This will be only a second-ever Premier League meeting between the two clubs, with the first ending 2-1 to Aston Villa in October.

This will also be the third meeting of the season between the two, and it certainly seems this has played no part in the bookmaker’s thinking, as despite Aston Villa coming out on top on both occasions they still make Dean Smith’s men underdogs here. A porous defence that is allowing more shots per game on average (18.5, according to Opta) and has shipped more goals than all other sides bar Norwich, clearly is more of a factor – though Brighton haven’t fared much better, keeping only three clean sheets at home.

Best Betting Odds for Brighton Vs Aston Villa:

Brighton – 8/13 Betway
Draw – 7/2 Bet365
Aston Villa – 17/4 BetVictor