Sunderland – Aston Villa Prediction & Picks (06.03.2018)

Sunderland and Aston Villa face each other in Stadium of Light, in a match for the 36th round of the Championship. Aston Villa won at home by (2-1) the last time they met in this edition of the league, on 21-11-2017. The record of direct confrontations in this stadium is favorable to the visiting team, which in the last 3 matches won 2 and lost 1. But the last time they met in this stadium was on 02-01-2016, for the Premier League, which ended with the victory of Sunderland by (3-1). M. Richards (30 ‘Autogolo) and J. Defoe (72’ e 90 ‘) scored the goals of the game, for Sunderland, and Carles Gil (63’), for Aston Villa. The condition home / away deserves particular attention, because despite this being a match between 3rd and 3rd of the league table, it is actually a match between the 23rd ranked in home games and the 6th as a visitor.

Sunderland:

After 5 wins, 13 draws and 17 losses, the home team is currently in the ª position, without having won any points. In their last match, they tied it with Millwall out by (1-1), after in the previous match they tied for (3-3) at home, in a match against Middlesbrough. Interestingly, this is a team that has won more positive results outside its stadium, as it has won 16 points in away matches and only 12 in its stadium. For the league, Sunderland won 10 points out of 30 possible points, after 2 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses in the last 10 home matches. The team allowed goals to the opponent in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition, so it has not been very strong defensively. In 35 games in this competition, he never got the comeback in the 23 games in which he suffered the first goal.

The Sunderland leaves for this game with a tie to a ball in front of the Millwall, adding in this way the seventh game in a row without winning the championship. We remember that the locals remain in a complicated position in the qualifying table, that is, the last place. For facing a team at the top of the table, the home team must opt ​​for a more defensive strategy, with the lines close together, exploring only the existing space in the defense of the opponent. Most likely the Sunderland team will be organized in 3-5-2. It is important to note that Lewis Grabban is the best marker of Sunderland, with 12 goals scored. For this game coach Sunderland can not count on Clarke-Salter, suspended, plus Watmore, Ruiter, Mcnair and Gibson, all injured.

Aston Villa:

After 18 wins, 9 draws and 7 losses, the away team is currently in the 3 rd position, with 63 points won. In the last match, they have won in an away match against Sheffield Wednesday by (2-4), after in the previous match they have tied at home, against Preston North End, by (1-1). This is a team little affected by the house factor, since it conquered similar results at home and abroad. For the league, Aston Villa won 19 points out of 30 possible points, after 6 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses in the last 10 home matches. In their home league matches the most frequent result at half-time was the 0-0 (7 out of 17 matches). Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In 34 matches in this tournament, he suffered the first goal 12 times and only managed 2 comebacks. In the last 17 home matches for this competition there is 1 period that stands out: they have conceded 7 of their 18 goals between minutes (46′-60 ‘).

The Aston Villa part for this game with a victory in the field of Sheffield Wednesday, by 2-4, placing a final point to the two games in a row without winning the championship. In this game away from home it will be expected that coach Steve Bruce plays in his usual tactical system, the 4-4-2, benefiting the maintenance of possession of the ball and leisurely attacks, always looking for the offensive reference Hogan. On the other hand, striker Albert Adomah is the player who stands out, since he has contributed 13 goals in this championship. Everything indicates that the coach can not count on Kodjia, due to injury.