Crystal Palace and Aston Villa will be eager to build on their victories on the weekend when they face off at Selhurst Park on Tuesday.
The 2024/25 Premier League season resumes this week with Gameweek 27. The latest round of fixtures will kick off on Tuesday, with the action on the day starting with three simultaneous games, including Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace could not buy a win when the 2024/25 Premier League season began, as the South London club had to wait until Gameweek 9 to clinch a victory for the first time this term. Since then, the Eagles have lost only four games, with the positive run of results taking them to 13th in the Premier League standings. The latest triumph was an impressive 2-0 success against Fulham this past weekend.
Like Crystal Palace, Aston Villa returned to winning ways this past weekend, beating Chelsea 2-1 at Villa Park to rise to eighth in the Premier League standings. The Villans have won only one of their last six Premier League games, and the inability to clinch victories has left them lagging in the top-four race.
The reverse fixture saw Aston Villa twice come from a goal down to hold Crystal Palace to a 2-2 draw, with Ross Barkley scoring the equaliser. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner has no new issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Crystal Palace manager will be bereft of the services of only three first-team players vs Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Chadi Riad is a long-term absentee, with the 21-year-old defender out for the remainder of the year due to a knee injury. The Moroccan international accompanies Joel Ward (calf) and Cheick Doucoure (knee) on the sidelines.
Dean Henderson will take his spot between the sticks, with Crystal Palace lining up in a 3-4-3 formation in front of him vs Aston Villa on Tuesday. The central defensive unit should feature Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, and Marc Guehi. Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell will be the two wing-backs.
The wide duo will protect the centre-backs and carry the offensive threat in the final third. As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma in the middle of the park. Jean-Philippe Mateta will lead the line for Crystal Palace against Aston Villa, with Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr completing the numbers in the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Mateta, Eze
Aston Villa
Unlike his counterpart in the Crystal Palace dugout, Unai Emery has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park. The Aston Villa manager will be without five first-team players on Tuesday.
Axel Disasi is available after missing the game against Chelsea due to ineligibility this past weekend. In addition, Morgan Rogers has overcome a minor issue to be fit to take on Crystal Palace. However, Pau Torres (ankle), Tyrone Mings (knee), Boubacar Kamara (thigh), Amadou Onana (hamstring), and Ross Barkley (knock) are on the sidelines.
Emiliano Martinez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Aston Villa lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Crystal Palace on Tuesday. The backline should feature Ezri Konsa, Axel Disasi, and Ian Maatsen.
As for the midfield unit, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans should pair up in the double pivot. Morgan Rogers will reprise the no. 10 role, with Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio being the two wide attackers. Finally, Ollie Watkins will spearhead the Aston Villa attack against Crystal Palace on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Disasi, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Asensio, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins
Key Stats
- Crystal Palace have won five of their last six Premier League home games vs Aston Villa (L1), beating them 5-0 in the corresponding fixture last term. The reverse fixture between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in November finished 2-2. The Villans have beaten the Eagles at least once in the seven most recent Premier League campaigns in which they have met.
- After winning nine and losing only one of their first 13 Premier League away games against London sides under Unai Emery (D3), Aston Villa are now winless in their last three in the capital (D1 L2).
- Crystal Palace have won only one of their eight most recent Premier League home games (D3 L4), losing the last two outings. It is the first time they have lost consecutive home Premier League games under Oliver Glasner, most recently losing more successively in December 2023 under Roy Hodgson (4).
- Aston Villa have lost six of their last eight Premier League away games (W1 D1), as many as in their previous 22 on the road (W11 D5).
- Crystal Palace have only failed to score in one of their last 15 Premier League games, a goalless draw with Bournemouth in December. Meanwhile, the Eagles are looking to score in nine consecutive Premier League games within a single season for only the second time, previously having a run of 11 between January and March 2019.
Player to Watch
Jean-Philippe Mateta
While Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, Ollie Watkins, and Eberechi Eze were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Jean-Philippe Mateta as the Player to Watch for the game between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa on Tuesday. The Frenchman has been exceptional under Oliver Glasner, and he has a superb record against Aston Villa.
With four goals and three assists, the 27-year-old has been directly involved in more Premier League goals against Aston Villa than he has versus any other opponent. The French striker netted a hat-trick (and provided one assist) in the Eagles’ 5-0 win in the corresponding fixture last season. So, Mateta will be Glasner’s go-to player to make the difference this midweek.
Prediction
Crystal Palace 1-2 Aston Villa
Aston Villa’s away record this season has been horrendous, while Crystal Palace’s output at home has been impressive. However, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio have been game-changing signings thus far for the away side, and the duo should rise to the occasion again.
Crystal Palace will give the visitors a run for their money, with Jean-Philippe Mateta delivering the goods again. However, the Asensio-Rashford show should make the difference and earn Aston Villa a narrow victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Unai Emery and his charges.
