Aston Villa are 15th with 34 points
and their highest achievable position
after Match Day 31 is 14th while
the lowest is also 16th
- Aston Villa lie one place and one point inferior to Fulham in lower mid-table with a game in hand, and are eager for the three points that will see them leapfrog their London opponents. But David O'Leary's side have accumulated fewer points after 30 games of a Premiership season than ever before and are in danger of tumbling to three League defeats in a row for the second time this season, if the kudos Fulham gained from victory over Chelsea last Sunday encourages them to a first away League win of the season.
- Villa have won only one of their last five Premiership games home and away, and one of five at Villa Park. Victory over the Cottagers would give the Midlanders their 125th home maximum in Premier League history.
- Lost the last three in League and Cup.
- Won one of the last seven in all competitions.
- Won one of the last five Premiership matches (1-0, home to Portsmouth on 4 March).
- Lost the last two in the top League against Blackburn (a) and Everton (a).
- Gone 18 games since last losing three Premiership matches on the bounce, against Wigan (h), Manchester City (a) and Liverpool (h) between 22 October and 5 November.
- The previous lowest 30-match points tally in the Premier League was 35 in 2002/03, when they went on to finish 16th.
- The Premiership's joint draw specialists with 10 stalemates, equal with Tottenham.
- Fewest losses in the bottom half of the top table (12).
- Scored one goal in each of the last four home League games.
- Scored four more goals away from home, than at home.
- If he lines up for the opening whistle, Lee HENDRIE will be making his 200th League start for Villa.
- If he plays, Gavin McCANN will be making his 200th career League appearance (Everton, Sunderland and Villa).
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| HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS |
|
Aston Villa |
Draw |
Fulham |
| League |
15 |
13 |
15 |
| Premier |
5 |
3 |
1 |
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| HEAD TO HEAD at Villa |
| |
Aston Villa |
Draw |
Fulham |
| League |
12 |
5 |
4 |
| Premier |
4 |
0 |
0 |
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LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME -
23 October 2004
Aston Villa 2-0 Fulham |
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Fulham are 14th with 35 points
and their highest achievable position
after Match Day 31 is 14th while
the lowest could be 16th.
- FULHAM go to Villa Park hoping to complete back-to-back wins for the first time in nine Premiership outings. Any rumours that manager Chris Coleman was in danger of losing his job after four straight League defeats were well and truly banished with his masterminding of last Sunday's famous victory over the champions.
- The Cottagers have gained more top flight wins at home than Villa have collected both home and away (10 to eight). But Fulham travel in anticipation of ending a 16-match winless League run on the road, the last eight of which have been lost. Defeat by Villa would be Fulham's 50th in the top tier since Coleman first took over from Jean Tigana in April 2003.
- Six goals were shared in a gripping contest when these teams met at Craven Cottage on 28 December - the last time Fulham drew a match. Villa fought back three times after a Brian McBride double and Heidar Helguson penalty had sent Fulham into the lead. A Liam Ridgewell goal rescued the point for the Midlanders. Fulham have not claimed maximum points at Villa Park since an odd goal in five victory on 3 March 1973 in the old Second Division. It was a more emphatic 2-5 scoreline when the Cottagers last beat Aston Villa in an away top flight game 40 years ago, on 12 March 1966. Overall, these clubs stand all square at 15 League wins a piece, with 13 draws.
- Last recorded successive victories in the Premiership on 2 and 14 January against Sunderland (h) and Newcastle (h).
- No draws in 13 in all competitions.
- Completed 16 top flight encounters since a scoreless draw (away to West Brom on 3 December).
- Managed 12 Premiership matches since a score draw (3-3, home to Villa on 28 December).
- One draw in 17 League and Cup matches.
- Failed to score in one of the last 12 in all competitions.
- Missed the target in one of 11 top tier matches (0-4, home to Arsenal on 4 March).
- One clean sheet in seven top tier encounters (1-0 home victory over Chelsea last time out).
- Lost the lead 11 times in the Premiership - that's more occasions than any other club.
- Lost four top flight games from a winning position.
- Conceded 12 Premiership goals in the first quarter of top table matches.
- Premiership matches involving Fulham provide the best value for money. Their 31 games have yielded 91 goals (40 for, 51 against).
- Only three of Fulham's 35 points have been secured away from Craven Cottage. The difference of 32 points is the widest such dichotamy in the highest division.
- Picked up 14 wins from 92 away Premier League matches all-time.
- Lost the last eight away Premiership matches.
- Without an away League victory in 16, since their last match of last season on the road (1-3 at Blackburn on 7 May).
- Only points from their top flight travels have come from draws with Newcastle, Charlton and West Brom.
- The goalless draw at West Brom on 3 December is the last time Fulham picked up a point on the road.
- Kept only one clean sheet on their top flight travels this season, and one in 27 League games on the road since the beginning of December 2004 (that being, at West Brom on 3 December 2005).
- Lost last League game away from home 5-1 to Liverpool at Anfield.
- If he plays, Niclas JENSEN will be making his 50th appearance in top flight football.
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