Aston Villa will look to maintain their recent Premier League momentum when they welcome Fulham to Villa Park on Saturday.
Unai Emery’s side have responded well to their difficult start to the campaign, collecting three wins and a draw in their four league matches during October.
Aston Villa became the first team to beat Manchester City this season last weekend, with Nicolas Jackson scoring a brace in a 2-1 victory. The result lifted them to ninth in the Premier League table with 11 points from eight games.
Unai Emery’s side had a setback in the Carabao Cup when they lost 3-0 against Bournemouth, which ended their seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Leaky defence is a concern for Aston Villa
Villa have won four of their last five Premier League matches, with their only recent league setback coming before their current unbeaten run.
Nicolas Jackson has been a major part of an improved mood at Villa Park, scoring four league goals in seven appearances since arriving from Chelsea.
Unai Emery, however, has concerns over his leaking defence who have kept just one clean sheet in their last five matches, while conceding in four.
Fulham’s recent form and head-to-head record
Fulham also come into the game after a midweek Carabao Cup exit, losing 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace. They picked up consecutive 1-0 victories against Hull City and Coventry City before their Carabao Cup exit, easing some of the pressure on Alvaro Arbeloa. They sit 15th with eight points, but their away form remains a concern, having scored only twice in four league trips this season.
Villa have also enjoyed the better of recent meetings, winning four of the last five league encounters. Their previous two home meetings with Fulham ended in 3-1 and 1-0 victories. Fulham last won against Aston Villa last April with a narrow 1-0 margin.
Unai Emery has an impressive record against Fulham, winning eight of his nine meetings with them and losing just once. He will be hoping to put behind midweek’s Carabao exit and continue their momentum in the Premier League.
Aston Villa vs Fulham: Team news and absences
Aston Villa will be without Amadou Onana, who has suffered an ACL injury while on international duty. Matteo Ruggeri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are also unavailable with hamstring problems.
Fulham have one confirmed absence, with Ryan Sessegnon suspended following his red card. Emile Smith-Rowe is a doubt, as revealed in our earlier report, but Fulham are expected to have him available after a late fitness check.
Where to watch Aston Villa vs Fulham
Saturday’s fixture takes place at Villa Park, with kick-off scheduled for 8 pm UK time. The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event.
With only three points separating the two sides, Aston Villa will be hoping to use their home advantage and build on the win over Manchester City.
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