Prediction: Draw
Best Odds: 13/5
Bookmaker: bet365
The Christmas period is upon us and while there are many reasons to be excited about Europe’s top divisions, there are equally as many reasons to be excited about the Championship. It’s a division that always throws up surprise results and moments from the first whistle until the very last, and we can’t imagine this weekend will be any different. Arguably the biggest game out of this set of fixtures will see Aston Villa host Leeds United, as both attempt to keep their promotion push going strong.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa feel like a team with a legitimate shot at promotion these days, which proves just how far they’ve come in the last few months. There are still areas that need addressing in the January transfer window in order for them to add more strength in depth, but for the most part, they’ve got all the pieces in place to make a serious playoff push. Whether or not that comes off remains to be seen as it’s extremely competitive at the top, but if they continue on their current trajectory, the Premier League could easily be in their future.
Team News
Abraham and Kodjia will likely start up top for Villa, with not too many changes being anticipated for the home side.
Leeds
Marcelo Bielsa was viewed as the right man for the job when he first came through the door at Elland Road, and it certainly feels like he’s living up to that reputation. Leeds are getting hot at just the right time and while they’ve always got a poor result lingering in them somewhere, this season feels different. Their fans have been waiting for a long time to see them back in the top flight of English football, and now, it certainly seems like they’re closer than ever.
Team News
Patrick Bamford is expected to play an important role for Leeds, but again, they aren’t expected to make all too many adjustments to the starting XI.
Factors to Consider
- The game will be played at Aston Villa’s Villa Park.
- Aston Villa have won three and drawn three of their last six games.
- Leeds have won five and lost one of their last six games.
- Aston Villa lead the overall head to head standings 39-30 with 29 draws.
- In their last meeting back in April, Aston Villa won 1-0.
Conclusion
It’s going to be a game where form gets thrown out of the window, but then again, that almost always tends to be the case in the Championship. Villa look like a team with a purpose these days and they’re extremely hard to beat, and we can see them forcing Leeds into a corner in this one. We believe Villa will take the lead twice throughout the course of this game, with the visitors having to dig deep in order to respond. They’ll level things up on both occasions that they go behind, leaving us with a final scoreline of 2-2.
Prediction: Draw
Best Odds: 13/5
Bookmaker: bet365
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