Aston Villa’s biggest and most important game all season. A win will guarantee Premier League football for another season, this statement applies for both Aston Villa and Hull City. Aston Villa have really struggled as of late, only picking up one point from a possible 18. Scoring goals has also been a serious problem for Aston Villa, scoring only 2 goals from the last 4 games. Paul Lambert must’ve been using this week to focus his squad of players for this ‘Cup Final’ game. It truly is a final, a lose will bring Aston Villa dangerously close to the relegation zone. If Villa fail to beat Hull they must find at least another 3 points against either Man. City or Tottenham.
Hull City have had a decent season, they’re sitting safely in 13th position with 37 points. Hull City also have a FA Cup final to look forward too. Perhaps the distraction of the FA Cup will give Aston Villa the slight advantage in this fixture. Earlier in the season Aston Villa managed to snatch a 0-0 draw against Hull at the KC Stadium.
Curtis Davies may face against his former side. Davies first moved to Aston Villa on loan from West Brom in the 2007-2008 season, the following year he transferred permanently for £8-11 million. He made 66 appearances over the course of 4 years at Aston Villa scoring 3 goals. Davies moved to Birmingham in 2011. Brad Guzan may also face his former team. Guzan was loaned out to Hull City during the 2010-2011 season, he made 16 appearances for the Tigers.
Team News:
Joe Bennett is still struggling with an ankle injury and will most likely miss another game.
Both Allan McGregor and Paul McShane have both started light training but this fixture will be to early for the pair. Hull City have no fresh injury concerns.
Match Facts:
Aston Villa have won four and lost none of five previous Barclays Premier League meetings with the Tigers, keeping a clean sheet in all five games.
Long needs one more goal this season to record eight goals in three successive Premier League campaigns.
Villa have scored more than once in only one of their last 12 Premier League games.
Villa have 35 points from 35 games; last season they had 37 from 35 and 36 from 35 the season before.
Predicted Lineups:
Guzan
Lowton-Vlaar-Baker-Bertrand
Albrighton-Westwood-Delph-Tonev
Holt-Agbonlahor
Long-Jelavic
Rosenior-Boyd-Huddlestone-Livermore-Elmohady
Davies-Bruce-Chester
Harper
Match Prediction:
Aston Villa 0-0 Hull City
Aston Villa really need to win this match but I just don’t know where the goals will come from this weekend. Yes Albrighton is very creative but we don’t have a player that will attack those crosses. Playing Holt may be a good move because I think he’d be more affective than Weimann. But Hull aren’t that bad of a team, especially when we compare Hull to Villa. Steve Bruce said he’d be happy with a draw, and that’s exactly what the outcome will be.
