Burnley vs Aston Villa preview, predictions & confirmed team news as Smith rings the changes
Aston Villa will be hoping to turn their season around when they travel to face Burnley on New Year’s Day.
Dean Smith’s side will enter 2020 in the relegation zone after a 3-0 defeat to Watford, their fifth loss in just six games.
Burnley sit six points above of them in the table but are in a poor run themselves, losing three of their past five games ahead of their game against Manchester United.
Read on for our Burnley vs Aston Villa preview, team news, TV coverage information and more.
When is Burnley vs Aston Villa and where can I watch live?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Turf Moor
Date: Wednesday, 01 January 2020
Kick-off: 12:30 PM (UK time)
TV coverage (UK): BT Sport 2
Last five meetings: Burnley vs Aston Villa
28 September 2019: Aston Villa 2-2 Burnley (Premier League)
24 May 2015: Aston Villa 0-1 Burnley (Premier League)
29 November 2014: Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
27 October 2010: Aston Villa 2-1 Burnley (League Cup)
21 February 2010: Aston Villa 5-2 Burnley (Premier League)
Aggregate Score: Burnley (DWDLL) 7-10 Aston Villa (DLDWW)
Ones to watch
Burnley: Chris Wood
Burnley have not been great in front of goal lately, scoring three goals in their past six games. Chris Wood scored one of those goals and, if Burnley are to get back to winning ways, he needs to kick off the New Year strongly.
Wood is Burnley’s top scorer in the Premier League with seven goals, one more than strike partner Ashley Barnes, and is responsible for 30.4% of the Clarets’ strikes this season.
As Watford showed last Saturday, Villa’s defence can be breached and Wood is Burnley’s best chance of doing so, having scored in the previous meeting this season.
Key stat: Chris Wood has scored two goals in four appearances against Aston Villa.
Aston Villa: Anwar El Ghazi
Aston Villa offered very little going forward in their 3-0 defeat against Watford and Dean Smith will surely bring Anwar El Ghazi back into the team this week.
The Egyptian has recorded four assists in the Premier League so far, bettered only by Jack Grealish and provides the perfect complement for Villa’s star. On his own against Watford, Grealish was overworked and eventually became frustrated not only with his treatment but the lack of goalscoring support.
But with El Ghazi back alongside him, the pair will look to have a bigger impact to try and break down Burnley’s defence.
Key stat: Only Jack Grealish (10) has been directly involved in more Premier League goals for Aston Villa than Anwar El Ghazi (7) this season.
Team news
Burnley
Burnley had no fresh injury concerns after the defeat to Manchester United on Sunday and have made just one change from that game with Robbie Brady replacing Jeff Hendrick.
Confirmed XI: Pope; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Brady, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Wood, Barnes.
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Aston Villa
Aston Villa have made five changes from the team that were routinely beaten by Watford at the weekend, with Neil Taylor, Tyrone Mings, Frederic Guilbert, Marvelous Nakamba and Trezeguet starts.
Matt Targett misses out through injury with Conor Hourihane, Ahmed Elmohamady and Henri Lansbury dropped down to the bench. Jota misses out completely after a poor performance against Watford.
Confirmed XI: Heaton; Elmohamady, Konsa, Hause, Guilbert; Nakamba, Douglas Luiz; El Ghazi, Grealish, Trezeguet; Wesley.
Squawka prediction
Aston Villa have been terrible away from home this season, winning just four points from their opening 10 games – winning one and drawing one against Norwich City and Manchester United respectively.
At the same time, Burnley have been inconsistent at Turf Moor, winning five and losing four and have recently been stringing runs of three defeats together. Their current run sits at one, but Villa really don’t look like getting anything positive from this game.
Scoreline prediction: Burnley 2-0 Aston Villa
Check out more of Squawka’s Premier League predictions here.
