After losing at Tottenham last weekend, Aston Villa welcome Bournemouth to Villa Park in their first home game of this season.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesAston Villa will be without summer signing, Kortney Hause as he recovers from an ankle injury.
James Chester (hamstring) and Jonathan Kodjia (ankle) are also ruled out for Villa’s next two matches.
Bournemouth have no fresh injury concerns to report as Lewis Cook closes in on a return from a lengthy knee injury.
Simon Francis (knee), David Brooks (ankle) and Dan Gosling (groin) are still ruled out but on course to be back by mid October.
Lloyd Kelly (ankle), Junior Stanislas (knee) and Arnaut Groenveld (foot) are also absent for the foreseeable future with no definitive return dates expected for their returns.
Form
Villa lost their opener 3-1 at Tottenham despite initially leading through John McGinn’s goal, before Tanguy Ndombele and a Harry Kane brace secured victory for the North Londoners.
Bournemouth meanwhile drew 1-1 at home to Sheffield United after Chris Mepham’s strike was cancelled out by Billy Sharp’s late equaliser for the Blades.
Stat Attack
- Aston Villa have lost two of their seven previous meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions (W4, D1, L2).
- In three previous league meetings at Villa Park, Villa have taken four points but lost their most recent clash 2-1 in April 2016 (W1, D1, L1).
- In two Premier League meetings so far, both of Villa’s goals came in the second half.
- Villa’s Tyrone Mings was the only player last weekend to make double digit clearances, clearing the ball on 17 occasions.
- Seven different Bournemouth players made at least 50 touches on the ball last weekend against Sheffield United, whereas just Mings and Jack Grealish managed to achieve more than 50 touches against Spurs.
Prediction
For Bournemouth, last weekend’s battle against Sheffield United will stand them in good stead for this trip because Villa will definitely be on the attack from the first whistle, although can be defensively sloppy at times.
I however do see the Cherries coming away from this game with victory if can weather Villa’s pacy attacks and are clinical with their own chances.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Bournemouth
Result: Aston Villa 1-2 Bournemouth
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