Match Preview
Aston Villa v Fulham
Premiership Match Day 35 24/25 at Villa Park
Saturday 3rd May 2025 KO: 12:30
Referee:
Robert Jones (Wirral)
Live on TNT Sports
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European hopefuls Fulham visit Champions League-chasing Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime
After losing three of their first four Premier League games in the month of April, Fulham looked on course to suffer another defeat at the hands of already-relegated Southampton as they were trailing last weekend's contest 1-0 heading into the final 20 minutes.
However, the Saints were undone by a late Fulham fightback as goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Ryan Sessegnon, the latter of whom heading home a 92nd-minute winner, secured three valuable points for the Cottagers and their seventh away win of the campaign.
Following a disappointing dip in form, Marco Silva stated after the win at St Mary's that his side want to "reignite the flame to fight for what we want", with their primary focus on European qualification, which remains a realistic possibility.
Indeed, Fulham sit eighth in the table and can close the gap on seventh-placed Aston Villa to three points with a win on Saturday, before taking on Everton, Brentford and Man City in their remaining three league fixtures.
Securing maximum points at Villa Park could prove challenging for Fulham, though, as they have only come out on top in one of their last 20 league visits to Aston Villa (D7 L12), losing their last five in a row since a 2-1 success in April 2014.
The Lions are looking to complete the double over the Cottagers for the second successive season after winning the reverse fixture 3-1 at Craven Cottage back in October.
After claiming a statement 4-1 home victory over top-five rivals Newcastle United, Aston Villa have since suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since the beginning of November last year, losing ground in the race for Champions League football and crashing out of the FA Cup.
Four days after conceding a gut-wrenching 94th-minute goal to lose 2-1 at fellow top-five contenders Manchester City in the Premier League, Villa were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley last weekend.
Unai Emery and co had previously exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, and they are now looking to bounce back from a difficult period, with the sole focus on their remaining four Premier League matches as they endeavour to achieve their "objective" of playing in Europe again next season.
Aston Villa, who currently sit seventh in the top-flight standings and three points behind both sixth-placed Nottingham Forest and fifth-placed Chelsea, are preparing for games against Fulham, Bournemouth, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United - they picked up five points from a possible 12 in the reverse fixtures against the quartet.
The Lions will fancy their chances of success on Saturday, as they have won six of their last seven meetings with Fulham and are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League homes games (W9 D7) - their second-longest run in the division after going 17 matches undefeated between March and December 2023.
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Fulham have won just one of their last 20 away league games against Aston Villa (D7 L12), losing the last five in a row since a 2-1 win in April 2014.
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Aston Villa have won six of their last seven Premier League games against Fulham (including the last four in a row), with the exception being a 3-0 away defeat in October 2022.
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None of Fulham’s last 14 Premier League games have been drawn (W7 L7), while their last two victories have come against the league leaders (3-2 v Liverpool) and the bottom side (2-1 v Southampton).
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Though Andreas Pereira has created more chances from set play than any other player in the Premier League this season (37), no team have scored fewer set piece goals (excluding penalties) than Fulham this season (5).
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Of all players to play at least 400 minutes in the Premier League this season, only Mohamed Salah (one every 66 minutes) is averaging a goal or assist more frequently than Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon (69 – 4 goals and 2 assists in 414 minutes).
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The Cottagers have led at half time in just two away league fixtures this season, with only relegated Leicester faring worse. However, Fulham's second-half record on the road is the fourth best in the division.
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Fulham's tally of five set-piece goals this season, excluding penalties, is the joint-lowest in the division alongside Leicester.
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Ryan Sessegnon is averaging a goal or assist every 69 minutes in the Premier League this season, scoring four and setting up two in 414 minutes.
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Villa's five-match top-flight winning run was ended by a stoppage-time defeat away to Manchester City in their previous league fixture. They've only lost consecutive league games once in the last two seasons, against Liverpool and Spurs last November.
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They can equal the club Premier League record on Saturday of 17 home matches unbeaten, set under Unai Emery between March and December 2023.
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Aston Villa are averaging 1.68 points per game in the Premier League this season, which they've only bettered in 2023-24 and 1992-93.
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Unai Emery's side have conceded from their opponent's first shot on target in 22 fixtures this season, as well as from the rebound in three matches when the first attempt was saved.
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They have also let in 12 goals after the 90th minute in all competitions, the most of any Premier League club.
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Emery has won all six of his league games versus Fulham, the best record of his managerial career against any club.
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Ollie Watkins has scored in his past three top-flight fixtures against Fulham. He needs just one more goal to become the club's outright 75-goal Premier League top scorer, surpassing Gabby Agbonlahor.
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John McGinn is poised to make his 200th Premier League appearance, becoming the 10th player to do so for Villa.
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Ian Maatsen's next appearance will be the 200th of his career at club level.
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Source Oliver Thomas at SportsMole/BBCSports