Fulham vs Aston Villa prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2022-10-19 18:30.
Victories continue to prove elusive for a midtable Fulham side who have managed just one across their last five Premier League (PL) matches (D1, L3). There are still plenty of positives for manager Marco Silva to look towards, not least his side’s fighting spirit as they twice fought back from behind to secure a point against high-flying Bournemouth at the weekend (2-2). They scored their ninth and tenth home PL goals in that clash, meaning they’ve now already scored more PL goals at Craven Cottage than they did across their last full PL campaign (nine)!
The hosts have never previously lost successive home league games against Aston Villa, yet that’s something that could happen here after the last meeting between these two in London back in September 2020 ended with a 3-0 win to the visitors. Fulham will be confident such a result can be avoided this time given the faltering form of their visitors, although the Cottagers' record of just two wins from their last 17 midweek PL games (D7, L8) does highlight how they tend to struggle in these matches under the lights.
Multiple reports suggest manager Steven Gerrard is now very close to being relieved of his duties as Aston Villa's manager. His team finished the weekend 16th and just one point above the relegation zone after their 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea made it just two wins from their opening ten PL matches (D3, L5). It’s probably fair to label this game a ‘must win’ for the former Liverpool legend, yet he’d have preferred the contest to have been played somewhere else given Villa have lost seven of their last eight (W1) PL away games played in London.
Despite Gerrard spending close to £70million over the summer to bolster his side with a number of big names, including securing the services permanently of key forward Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, Villa’s attack has looked extremely blunt and has perhaps been their biggest issue. Only Wolves have scored fewer than their total of seven goals coming into the round, and they’ve managed to net more than once in a PL game on only one occasion all season.
Players to watch: Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrović comes alive in front of his own fans and has scored nine goals in his last eight league appearances at Craven Cottage. One of those trying to stop him in this game will be midfielder Jacob Ramsey, but he will have to be careful after already picking up four yellow cards for Villa. Only five PL players had picked up more coming into the round and another will see him handed a suspension.
Hot stat: Villa have won just two of their last nine PL games against newly promoted sides (D3, L4) – both victories came against last season's bottom side Norwich.