EPL: Stoke City V Aston Villa – Monday, 13th September (LIVE GAME)

Stoke City V Aston Villa

Monday, 13th September – 20:00 GMT
LIVE on Sky Sports 1

Stoke City

League Position: 19th
League Form: LLL

The Potters will try to rectify a terrible start to the season when they play host to a hit-and-miss Aston Villa at The Brittania in Monday’s live Sky Sports encounter. Tony Pulis has seen his team of hard knocks suffer three defeats on the bounce and are increasingly becoming vulnerable down near the very pit of the table, with only a leaky West Ham United standing between them and bottom place. That would all change were they to claim all the spoils in this contest, but Villa boast far superior form than themselves and despite having never lost a home fixture to Aston Villa in the Premier League, Stoke will be hard pressed just to get a result against the Villains, let alone the win they so desperately crave.

So far, Stoke City have become victims of Wolves, Tottenham and Chelsea although all three encounters were tricky to say the least. Only one of those was played at The Brittania, what has been a fortress for Stoke during their two-year spell in the Premiership, but even their 2-1 loss in front of their home fans was a tad unfortunate, so while the results certainly haven’t been positive there is still plenty of room for optimism.

Stoke have built up a formidable record when playing at home in the Premier League, having lost just ten of their last 38 league fixtures. It has been the catalyst for two impressive league finishes, with the Potters not far off a top-ten finish in either of their last two league campaigns. However, the amount of victories on home soil fell last season, picking up three less wins than in their début stint, and the omens don’t exactly look promising considering they’ve already fallen at their first home hurdle when losing to Tottenham Hotspur. This is another genuinely tough clash for Stoke, with the main problem being they’ve become far too predictable. Their only two goals thus far have both come from set-plays and unless they show some drastic improvement in their ground play, Villa may well play them off the park which is unheard of at The Brittania. 

Tony Pulis was busy in the final days of the transfer window and did manage to land a couple of potential shrewd pieces of business. The most eye catching acquisition, at least from our point of view, was that of Jermaine Pennant, although many would argue that it was Icelandic international Eidur Gudjhonsen. The latter has a tonne of experience and is a versatile sort, but he’s not the same player he was at Chelsea and doesn’t exactly bring a lot in terms of difference to the table for Stoke. Pennant, however, does as his pace and agility combined with his close ball retention and accurate deliveries will make him an asset for the club, as the likes of Ricardo Fuller, Tuncay and the defensive lads which get up for corners have been crying out for a player which can deliver a good cross from open play and not just dead-ball situations. The former Liverpool winger should jump straight into Pulis’ eleven on Monday night aiming to make an instant impact for the Potters.

Aston Villa

League Position: 4th
League Form: WLW

No-one really knows what to make of Aston Villa’s start to the new term, having picked up two impressive wins from their opening three league games but dropping out of the UEFA Europa League was a real sour note for the club and their supporters. Moreover, there are still question marks surrounding the management role, with caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald keen to take over on a more permanent role but the news is that the former Liverpool tactician, Gerard Houllier, is on the verge of signing on the dotted line and resuming full responsibility of first team affairs.

The reports that Houllier has been offered the job as Aston Villa manager hasn’t exactly been welcomed with open arms by fans, who believe the club’s tradition in recent years of unearthing hidden English talent is what separates their club from the rest, with their fears of Villa becoming foreign territory very much a reality should the Frenchman agree terms. It also leaves Villa’s temporary manager, Kevin MacDonald, in the lurch ahead of Monday’s game with Stoke City at the Brittania – A Premier League fixture Villa have yet to win, having picked up just one point from their previous two visits to Stoke.

The mood in camp should be harmonious nonetheless, what with the club enjoying a fortnight in the top four following two wins and an emphatic Newcastle defeat from their opening three games. But it is that heavy defeat which will have Villa fans and any potential Villa backer wary, as the last time Villa went travelling their were crushed by newly promoted Newcastle at St. James Park – Losing 6-0 on Tyneside. It was arguably that result which ultimately forced Villa owner Randy Lerner into action, and gave him the opinion that MacDonald wasn’t the right man to take Villa forward.

In what could be Kevin MacDonald last game in charge, Aston Villa should have their strongest eleven out on the field on Monday night, MacDonald’s strongest eleven that is. That means young starlet Marc Albrighton could be in line to make his fourth first-team appearance of the season, although fans will be more excited at the prospect of seeing a fit Gabriel Agbonlahor back in the fray after missing Villa’s 1-0 win over Everton immediately before the international break.

Match Prediction: Aston Villa to WIN – 3.10 Bet365

It is difficult to rule Stoke out of any game on home soil but I just feel Villa, buoyed by their confident start in the league, will have to much to their game for Stoke, who have struggled to compete on the ground and despite the possibility of seeing some fresh faces at The Brittania, it may take a while before the Potters find their stride.

If Villa win the aerial battles, with James Collins and Richard Dunne in for a tough aerial game at Stoke, then Villa should have enough guile and craft in Stoke’s third to put away enough of their chances to leave The Brittania with all the spoils.

Soccer-Betting Value Tip: Gabriel Agbonlahor First Goalscorer – 7.50 SkyBet

The Villa front-man has only played a little over 30 minutes this season but still managed to get his way onto the score sheet, with the England international scoring Villa’s first in their Europa League defeat at Villa Park to Rapid Vienna. The Villains have sorely missed his pace in behind the defence and he is surely to thrive off the lack of pace in the Stoke defence.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 2.50 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.30 Coral
Aston Villa – 3.10 Bet365