Liverpool vs. Aston Villa - Betting preview and odds

Liverpool vs. Aston Villa - Betting preview and odds

September 26, 2015 15:00pm - Anfield

Premier League

Anfield will play host to Premier League football for the second week running on Saturday when under-performing Liverpool take on struggling Aston Villa.

A cloud of uncertainty

All eyes will be on Liverpool boss Brendan Rodger’s this weekend when his team welcomes Aston Villa to Merseyside for what should be a tasty serving of Premier League football.

Following reports in the Daily Mail this week that the Anfield hierarchy have been on the phone to former Real Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti, the cloud hanging over the North Irishman’s head has grown a little darker.

Of course, John Henry may have just been calling to wish the Italian a speedy recovery from his recent spine operation, but whatever the case, Liverpool club officials moved quickly to deny there had been any contact between the two.

No place like home

After a disappointing draw at home to Norwich last week, the Reds have yet another chance to give their season a boost on their own turf by taking on a team currently hovering just one place above the danger zone.

It will be the third of four consecutive home games for the northwest club following their midweek League Cup exploits against Carlisle.

Grim start for Villa

After starting the season with an away win at Bournemouth, things have gone from bad to worse for Tim Sherwood’s team. They lost four out of the next five league games, with their only point coming against bottom-of-the-table Sunderland.

If results do not improve soon, Villa could find themselves pulled into the drop zone where the weight of gravity has a habit of increasing for struggling teams.

With both teams lacking confidence, this game should be a tense and nervy affair. And while the Villa boss could probably be forgiven for presiding over a loss at Anfield, defeat for Rodgers would be catastrophic.

Team news

Christian Benteke is struggling with an injury and may miss the chance to square up against his former team. In the absence of the Belgian, Daniel Sturridge is likely to step in. Dejan Lovren and Roberto Firmino are both doubtful after picking up knocks in mid-week.

Danny Ings could also make it into the first XI after bagging his first Anfield goal in the draw with Norwich last week before scoring another in Wednesday’s cup game. Meanwhile, Mamadou Sakho is also likely to retain his place after impressing over the last two weeks.

For the Villains, Gabby Agbonlahor is out with a calf injury along with Idrissa Gueye who has yet to recover from a hamstring pull. Meanwhile, Adama Traore and Jose Angel Crespo Rincon both remain doubtful.

Recent form

Liverpool: DLLDW

AstonVilla: LLDLL

Betting odds and tips

Neither team has won a league game in the last four matches but Liverpool’s performance against Norwich suggested that they are slowly finding some form. However, they need to be more clinical in front of goal and Daniel Sturridge could be the man to solve that dilemma,

Based on recent displays, it’s hard to find much evidence to make a case for Villa - they have been truly underwhelming. As a result, the 7/5 available form Betvictor for the Reds to Win To Nil looks like the choice bet.

In the goal scorer market, it might be worth taking a punt on Danny Ings to score anytime at 6/4 with Bet365. The former Burnley man got off the mark with a cool finish last weekend and should start on Saturday.

Go To bet365

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24/09/2015     © Frixo 2024