Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa: Premier League Preview, Stats, and Team Insights

Crystal Palace is set to face Aston Villa in a crucial Premier League clash, aiming for their first league double over the Villans since the 2013-14 season. The match holds significant historical context, as Palace previously triumphed 3-0 at Villa Park in August.

Team Performance Insights

Aston Villa has struggled against Crystal Palace recently, losing three of their last four league encounters (D1). In these fixtures, they have conceded 14 goals, a stark contrast to the 14 goals conceded in their previous 15 competitive games against the Eagles.

Historically, Crystal Palace performs well at home against Villa, winning nine out of 13 Premier League matches at Selhurst Park (D2 L2). They have secured victories in six of their last seven encounters at home and won the last three matches consecutively.

Aston Villa’s Recent Away Matches

This marks Aston Villa’s fourth consecutive away league game in London. They have recorded two wins and one loss in their previous three outings. This sequence mirrors a similar streak from December 1989 to February 1990 when they achieved three wins and one defeat in the capital.

Crystal Palace’s Current Form

• Crystal Palace is winless in their last five home Premier League matches (D2 L3).
• This run is their worst at Selhurst Park since a seven-match winless streak between September and December 2023.
• Overall, Palace has lost four of their last five Premier League games, a worrying change from their previous form with nine wins, nine draws, and three losses in the prior 21 matches.

Aston Villa’s League Performance

Aston Villa enters this match with 42 points from 20 Premier League games this season (W13 D3 L4). A victory would push them to over 45 points in their first 21 matches, a feat they have achieved only twice before in 1895-96 (45 points) and 1898-99 (48 points), both seasons where they clinched the top-flight title.

Key Player Matchup

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has a favorable record against Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, remaining unbeaten in six encounters (W5 D1). This is the longest he has faced any manager without a loss, while it represents a challenging stretch for Emery, who has yet to win against Glasner.

On the player front, Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta stands out with a record of nine goal involvements against Aston Villa, including six goals and three assists. Furthermore, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has scored six goals since December, tied with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Watkins is aiming to extend his scoring streak to four consecutive matches, a feat he has not achieved since April 2023.

The upcoming fixture promises to be pivotal for both teams as they navigate the competitive landscape of the Premier League.