Bitesize Prediction: Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace – 30/10/24

Competition: EFL Cup

Market: Aston Villa win

Odds: 10/11 @ Pribet

Two camps who are looking to extend on their respective EFL Cup adventures on Wednesday night, Aston Villa will welcome Crystal Palace to the Midlands.

Starting with the hosts, suffering last-gasp heartbreak at home against Bournemouth last weekend as they eventually had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate, Aston Villa are seeking an immediate response here. Suffering just a single defeat across all competitions since opening up the new campaign, Unai Emery’s men have only continued on a sensational fairytale. In the midst of a remarkable Champions League flurry and winning each of their first three European showdowns, the one-time Arsenal boss finds the mood in his camp at a famous high. Marking their return from October’s international break with a 3-1 romp away at Fulham, Aston Villa are once again battling it out in the top-four chase. Making a stunning statement on October 2nd as they secured a 1-0 win against German giants Bayern Munich, Emery’s side will also be excited by their continued success on home soil. Despite being forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth last weekend, Emery’s side have suffered just a sole domestic defeat in front of their own supporters since the start of March.

As for the visitors, finally getting a maiden Premier League victory on the board last weekend as they clinched a 1-0 victory against Tottenham, Crystal Palace will be desperate to use that performance as a platform to build on. However, although Oliver Glasner’s side might have dragged themselves out of the relegation zone, the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss has found increasing pressure on his shoulders. Marking their return from October’s international break with a 1-0 loss at the hands of Nottingham Forest, the Eagles are also seeking a crucial clinical edge in the final third. Including another 1-0 defeat at home against Liverpool earlier in the month, Wednesday’s guests have recorded just a pair of goals from any of their previous five showdowns against Premier League opposition. Hit with a routine 3-1 drumming when they last travelled to Villa Park back in September 2023, they have also failed to collect a single victory in the Midlands since way back in 2016.

Bet: Aston Villa 10/11 to beat Crystal Palace in Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie @ Pribet