Fulham vs Aston Villa

Fulham welcome Aston Villa to Craven Cottage on Saturday lunchtime in a fixture that carries real weight for both sides.

The hosts sit four points adrift of seventh-placed Brentford with just five outings remaining, and Silva's side know that points here are not optional if they are to keep their European hopes alive.

Villa, meanwhile, are closing in on a return to the Champions League, sitting eight points clear of Brighton in sixth. Unai Emery's side arrive with a seven-match winning streak against Fulham across all competitions, and they will fancy extending that run against a side they have consistently troubled in recent seasons.

Fulham vs Aston Villa Form

Marco Silva's Fulham have been a stubborn outfit at Craven Cottage this term, with nine of their 13 Premier League victories coming on home soil. That home form has been their engine room all season and they will lean on it heavily here.

Aston Villa grabbed a stoppage-time winner against Sunderland last weekend, the kind of result that breeds confidence and momentum. The visitors clearly hold the psychological edge in this fixture, and with Villa's squad depth offering Emery real options across the pitch, they arrive in strong shape.

Fulham vs Aston Villa Predicted Lineups

Fulham

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Starting Lineup: B. Leno; T. Castagne, J. Andersen, C. Bassey, A. Robinson; S. Lukic, S. Berge; H. Wilson, J. King, O. Bobb; R. Muniz

Aston Villa

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Predicted Starting Lineup: E. Martínez; M. Cash, E. Konsa, P. Torres, L. Digne; A. Onana, D. Luiz; J. McGinn, M. Rogers, J. Sancho; O. Watkins

Fulham vs Aston Villa Key Stats & Match Facts

  • Aston Villa have won their last 7 matches against Fulham in all competitions.
  • Fulham have seen over 2.5 goals in 5 of their last 6 home matches against Aston Villa in all competitions.
  • Ollie Watkins has scored in 4 of his last 5 appearances against Fulham in the Premier League.
  • Morgan Rogers has attempted 2+ shots in each of his last 8 Premier League appearances.
  • Fulham have received 4+ cards in 5 of their last 5 matches against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Fulham vs Aston Villa Prediction & Best Bets

Our prediction: Aston Villa to edge this one.

With the visitors boasting the stronger squad depth even with potential rotation, the away side look well placed to take the three points. Fulham's home form keeps them dangerous, so expect both sides to find the net in a competitive affair. A 1-2 scoreline in Villa's favour is where we land.

Best Bets

Aston Villa to win at 6/4
Villa's dominance in this fixture is clear, and even with one eye on their Europa League semi-final, they have the quality to rotate and still get the job done at Craven Cottage.

Both Teams To Score (Yes) at 8/13
Five of the last six meetings between these two at Craven Cottage have produced over 2.5 goals, and Fulham are direct enough to trouble Villa at home. Ollie Watkins has recorded at least one shot on target in each of his last eight outings against Fulham, while Raúl Jiménez has scored in three of his last four against Villa.

Fulham vs Aston Villa Bet Builder Tip

Our four-leg bet builder backs Aston Villa or Draw in the Double Chance market, Both Teams To Score, Ollie Watkins over 0.5 shots on target and Morgan Rogers over 0.5 shots on target.

The goals angle is backed by the high-scoring nature of recent meetings, while Watkins has recorded at least one shot on target in each of his last eight appearances against Fulham and Rogers has managed the same in seven of his last ten Premier League outings.

The best price is 19/5 with BetMGM UK, returning £38 profit from a £10 stake.