Chris Sutton believes Aston Villa are yet to get going this season.placeholder image
Chris Sutton believes Aston Villa are yet to get going this season. | Getty Images
Aston Villa are still searching for their first victory of the league season
Aston Villa will look to get some much needed points on the board when they play host to Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday 31 August.
Unai Emery’s side opened the season with a scrappy 0-0 draw against Newcastle United at Villa Park. It was a lacklustre performance which saw them become the first team since Fulham in May 2024 to fail to register a single first half shot at goal. They improved in the second half but were lucky to escape with a point after surviving an onslaught of pressure from the visitors after Ezri Konsa’s red card.
Villa’s slow start to the season continued with a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Brentford, with Keith Andrews' side successfully nullifying the attacking threat from the Lions. Last season’s slow start cost Villa a place in Europe and former striker Chris Sutton admitted he’s worried by the pattern that’s emerging at this moment in time.
Chris Sutton gives Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace verdict
Ex-Aston Villa striker Chris Sutton, who is perhaps best remembered for prolific stints at Blackburn Rovers and Celtic, claims Unai Emery’s side have simply not got going at all this season, but admits he’s got a feeling that things will change this weekend.Speaking to BBC Sport, Sutton explained: “I'm really worried about my old club Aston Villa, their performance against Brentford last weekend was so insipid and so flat. They haven't got going at all.
“We know the way Villa play. It's very much possession orientated and they'll play out from the back. Crystal Palace will mix their game up but I've just got a feeling that Villa will finally turn up in this one.Plus, I'm not sure how Eze's departure will impact Crystal Palace. They coped in a one-off game with Nottingham Forest last week but long-term they're going to suffer from that loss of creativity. I think Palace are still a strong team, even without Eze, but I'm going third time lucky with Villa hoping they'll actually turn in a performance. If they don't, then fans will start getting really concerned.” Sutton's prediction: 3-1.
Sutton backed Villa to get the job done this weekend, but the same view was not shared by Orlando Bloom, who felt the game was too close to call after predicting a 1-1 draw. Meanwhile, AI shared Sutton’s view that this is Villa’s time to shine and predicted a routine 2-0 victory for Unai Emery’s men, which could help trigger a rise up the league table.
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace head to head record
Aston Villa have a mixed record against Crystal Palace which has seen them win 15, lose 15 and draw 10 of their 40 meetings against the Eagles across all competitions. Villa were beaten 3-0 against Crystal Palace at Wembley during the FA Cup semi-final last time out, and were also beaten 4-1 at Selhurst Park in February in a league match. They earned a 2-2 draw against Oliver Glasner’s side in November at Villa Park and have fared better on home soil after avoiding defeat in all of their last eight matches in the West Midlands against the Eagles.
Unai Emery’s side are currently on the longest unbeaten home run of any side in the division, with their last defeat coming 19 matches ago. If they are to avoid defeat it would represent their longest unbeaten home run since 1972 and their best run at home in the top-flight since before 1924.
It promises to be an intriguing encounter with both sides fighting out for their first win of the 2025/26 season. Villa crucially have had a full week of preparation ahead of the clash. Meanwhile, Palace were in Norway on Thursday to secure their place in the Conference League after a second leg 0-0 draw away against Fredrikstad.
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