Aston Villa will be striving to solidify their fifth position in the Premier League as they prepare to host Luton Town this Sunday afternoon.
Luton Town, on the other hand, has gained confidence by earning five points in their last four games, setting the stage for their second consecutive visit to the Midlands.
Match Preview
Last weekend’s clash between Villa and West Ham had the feel of a pivotal match, with both teams possessing the potential to break into the top five this season.
Aston Villa, however, demonstrated their superiority with a resounding 4-1 victory, creating a three-point lead over the sixth-placed team and remaining just four points behind the top spot.
Aston Villa has been on a scoring spree, netting an astonishing 17 goals in just four league games at Villa Park, and they’ve secured 11 consecutive victories at their West Midlands home.
Their performance in the Europa Conference League tie against AZ Alkmaar mirrored their dominance, as they replicated the 4-1 triumph over West Ham.
Villa’s ambitions include securing a top-five spot and potentially winning a major competition in 2023-24.
To achieve this, they must capitalize on fixtures like the one scheduled for Sunday.
However, Luton Town, despite appearing to have an easy schedule on paper, has started to find their footing and demands respect.
With one win and two draws in their last five outings, their only two league defeats during this period were 2-1 and 1-0 losses to Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively.
Luton has also shown resilience by not conceding more than twice in a Premier League fixture for seven games.
They even came back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a draw against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
In addition, they are now unbeaten in two consecutive away matches in the top flight, including a 2-1 victory against Everton.
Luton’s manager, Rob Edwards, is no stranger to Villa, having come through the club’s youth system during his playing days, making eight Premier League appearances in the 2022-23 season.
Aston Villa Premier League Form:
- L
- W
- W
- W
- D
- W
Aston Villa Form (All Competitions):
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
Luton Town Premier League Form:
- L
- D
- W
- L
- L
- D
Luton Town Form (All Competitions):
- D
- L
- W
- L
- L
- D
Team News
Aston Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, is expected to field a lineup similar to the one that led to their victory over West Ham.
This includes recalling Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres after they were rested in the midweek game.
Moussa Diaby is also set to return, while Leon Bailey, who has scored in consecutive games, may get the nod over Nicolo Zaniolo.
Ollie Watkins, the team’s leading scorer, has been in top form with five goals and three assists in his last four outings in the top flight.
Luton’s manager, Rob Edwards, is likely to switch to a back three formation to counter Villa’s attacking threat.
Issa Kabore should return as the right wing-back, with Alfie Doughty holding his spot on the opposite flank.
Tahith Chong is expected to miss out.
Andros Townsend will remain on the bench after making his debut last weekend, while Edwards hopes that Amari’i Bell will be fit to replace the injured Reece Burke.
Possible Starting Lineups
Aston Villa:
Martinez;
Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne;
McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Zaniolo;
Diaby, Watkins
Luton Town:
Kaminski;
Mengi, Lockyer, Bell;
Kabore, Mpanzu, Nakamba, Doughty;
Brown, Ogbene;
Morris
Prediction:
With 11 consecutive home victories in the Premier League, Aston Villa looks formidable at their home ground.
Another high-scoring victory could be on the horizon, potentially causing long-term issues for Luton Town.
- Our Prediction: Aston Villa 4-0 Luton Town