A Chance for Redemption at Villa Park
The stakes are high for both Aston Villa and Crystal Palace as they clash at Villa Park, each searching for their first Premier League win of the new season. Despite their domestic struggles, both teams have found some success in European competition.
Aston Villa, who started the season with a respectable draw against Newcastle, followed up with a disappointing 1-0 loss to a new-look Brentford side. This defeat extended their goalless and winless streak in the league to three matches, a run not seen since the 1997-98 season.
Before they can shift their focus to the Europa League, where they'll face teams like Red Bull Salzburg and Feyenoord, the Lions must rediscover their scoring touch. They’ll look to leverage their impressive home record, having gone undefeated in their last 19 league games at Villa Park.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace remains unbeaten in all competitive matches this season, including a Community Shield victory. While their Premier League performances have been less than thrilling—drawing with both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest—they secured their place in the Conference League with a solid 1-0 aggregate victory over Fredrikstad.
Palace's formidable away record, with just two away losses since November 2024, adds another layer of intrigue to this matchup. They'll be looking to replicate their recent successes against Villa, including a 4-1 league win and a 3-0 FA Cup semi-final triumph.
Team News
Aston Villa will be without key midfielder Boubacar Kamara, who is expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks with a thigh injury. He joins Ross Barkley and Andres Garcia on the injury list. However, Villa gets a boost with the return of Ezri Konsa from suspension, giving manager Unai Emery more options in defense.
Crystal Palace's injury woes continue, with a lengthy list of absentees including Odsonne Edouard, Cheick Doucoure, and Eberechi Eze. However, the team has signed Spanish youngster Yeremy Pino, who is eligible to make his debut this weekend. Chris Richards is expected to be available despite an ankle concern, but Will Hughes is a doubt. Ismaila Sarr, a constant thorn in Aston Villa's side, will be a key player to watch, having directly contributed to 10 goals in his last six starts against the Lions.
