Aston Villa have the chance to strengthen their grip on the European places in midweek as they welcome Fulham to the Midlands.
Spanish boss Unai Emery has enjoyed an excellent impact since his appointment at the club. Their 1-1 draw with Brentford last time out ended their five-match winning run in the Premier League but ensured that their unbeaten run continued into its ninth match.
That leaves Villa sitting sixth and just two points behind Tottenham in fifth. Victory would carry the Midlanders above the North London side - who do not play again until Thursday as they host Manchester United.
Whilst Villa will be aiming to extend their good form, the same could certainly be said of their opponents Fulham. Following a run of five losses in all competitions, Marco Silva has managed to get his side back on track with back-to-back wins.
A 3-1 success over struggling Everton was followed by a slender 2-1 victory over another of the relegation contenders Leeds. Goals from Harry Wilson and Andreas Pereira had put the Cottagers on track for a win before a Joao Palhinha own goal pulled one back for the visitors.
Fulham were able to hold out however, a win that leaves them in ninth in the table. They are now five points behind Liverpool in the final European slot so a third consecutive win would certainly go a long way.
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The Londoners will certainly be aiming to enjoy a repeat performance of their previous showdown with Villa. The two sides previously came together back in October with Fulham running out comfortable winners.
Harrison Reed opened the scoring in the first-half at Craven Cottage before Aleksandar Mitrovic doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz was sent off just after the hour mark before Tyrone Mings rounded off a rotten afternoon for Villa as he put through his own goal late on.
That defeat spelt the end of Steven Gerrard’s spell in charge of the club as he was sacked just one day after the game.
Turning to this time around, the hosts have a number of injuries to negotiate for the game. Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Leon Bailey and Philippe Coutinho are all still out, whilst goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been struck down with illness but is expected to be fit for the game.
Regarding Fulham, Mitrovic remains ineligible through suspension, whilst defender Layvin Kurzawa is also on the sidelines. Daniel James can return to contention after being ineligible against Leeds.
When is Aston Villa vs Fulham?
Aston Villa vs Fulham takes place at Villa Park on Tuesday, April 25.. Kick-off for the game is scheduled for 7:45pm BST.
How to Watch
The match will be broadcast on BT Sport 2. Coverage is set to get underway at 7:45pm.
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Match Odds
Latest odds from Betfred:
Aston Villa -8/11
Draw - 11/4
Fulham - 7/2
*odds subject to change
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