Sunderland V Aston Villa Betting – Tuesday 15th December

Sunderland V Aston Villa

Tuesday 15^th December – 19:45 GMT

Sunderland

League Position: 10th

Recent Form: LWLLD

It will be a demoralised dressing room in the Sunderland camp this week after they threw away a narrow 1-0 lead at home to Portsmouth to conceded a 92^nd minute sucker punch from Younes Kaboul, one of the ugliest sights you will ever, and that’s just the goal. This is now why Steve Bruce is paid the big bucks, to revive the squad in moments like these and to get them bouncing right back the following game. However, they couldn’t of asked for a harder fixture to rejuvenate the spirit within camp and Steve Bruce will be asking for a colossal performance from his players in this encounter with high flying Aston Villa.

Sunderland, on Saturday, were a long way off their scintillating best but their performance throughout the course of the game was deserving of all three points. They did, however, have several chances to wrap the game up and they can only blame themselves for spurring the glorious opportunities that did come their way. Now, though, a bit of girt and determination is required as a Villa side buoyed by their recent success over the champions pay the Black Cats and unwanted visit.

The point on Saturday will have been very disappointing for everyone involved at Sunderland, but it did at least keep them in the top ten., albeit by goal difference. However, if they wish to remain in the upper tier then they must earn some sort of result in this fixture, preferably in the form of a win. Is a win likely – certainly. Sunderland, at the Stadium of Light, have been nothing short of superb this season, with only Chelsea managing a win there. Everyone else has faltered, including the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, both enduring defeats at the hands of this ever improving Sunderland.

The Stadium of Light will be, and has already, been the setting for some great matches and results for Sunderland this season, none more so than their two 1-0 successes over Arsenal and Liverpool. Steve Bruce’s side boast an incredibly strong home record of 5-2-1, with only Chelsea, West Ham and now Portsmouth, leaving the North with anything to show for their efforts. What’s more impressive is that their only defeat came right at the start of the season and Sunderland are unbeaten at home in seven outings.

Aston Villa

League Position: 4th

Recent Form: WDDWW

The Villa players will have been on top of the world after their weekend heroics at Old Trafford, a venue where they had previously not won at since 1993. However, not only did Martin O’Neill’s tactics end up being a master-stroke, but his players were sensational on the day and their 26 year Old Trafford was put to bed with a 1-0 victory, one they rightly deserved. Now, however, they must back that win up with another, although it won’t be easy as their very next outing is a trip to The Stadium of Light, home of the seasons biggest improver’s in Sunderland.

I’m not quite sure where to start with summing up Villa’s performance on Saturday. To put it as simply as I can, they were sublime from start to finish, much like their display at Anfield at the start of the season. Their defence was, quite literally, impenetrable, their midfield should ounces of composure on the ball, the pace and trickery of James Milner and Ashley Young was a delight to watch and Villa’s biggest asset on the day, while our only flaw was their strike force, although even that’s small because Gabriel Abgonlahor was the eventual match winner.

Our biggest appraisal about Villa was their stunning defensive display. Richard Dunne was a rock at the back, while everyone else simply followed in his footsteps, diving on every half-chance and shot that came Villa’s way, while Brad Fridel, who wasn’t called upon as often as you might think, pulled out all the stops when needed. You could of stuck Fernando Torres on the pitch that day and he wouldn’t have scored, so much was the confidence of the Villa back four. However, can they replicate this into their next encounter as Sunderland have proven a difficult side to stop when at home so the Villa defence will be tested once more, although surely this examination won’t be as thorough as their last?

Not only was the result stunning, but Martn O’Neill will also be chuffed to bits with the performance of Stewart Downing, who was playing in his toughest game of the season thus far after recently resuming training. He, as well as Milner and Young, was a constant thorn down the flanks and it will be interesting to see how or if Martin O’Neill can field all three in the same match consistently. Despite a gruelling 90 minutes, though, no one from the Villa side of things came away with any major knocks so it could be the same elven that starts at Sunderland, which certainly won’t be a bad thing.

Villa’s record on the road this season now looks superb after claiming the scalp of Liverpool and now Man Utd. However, draws have been an ever-present occurrence for Villa this season when on their travels and before their stunning victory in Manchester, Villa were without an away win in five outings, so perhaps it’s a case of install some consistency into their away displays and Villa will, in time, become a big force in the Premiership providing they keep hold of the biggest prospects.

Head-to-Head (Last 8):

Sunderland W: 2 Aston Villa W: 5 Draw: 1

Aston Villa have a comfortable lead in the h2h between the two and win the mental battle before the game has even started after completing a league double over the black Cats last season, winning both home and away 2-1. Villa are also unbeaten in their last three visits to Sunderland, with the home sides last and only victory over Villa coming back in 2002, a narrow 1-0 success that day.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.50 SkyBet

We’ve found it particularly hard to separate these two sides but would have opted for Villa were this fixture at Villa Park. Sunderland, at home, have been outstanding and it will take some performance, one close to that at Old Trafford last week, to beat the black Cats on their own soil. On the same token, Villa will be equally as difficult to overcome as their confidence levels will have gone through the roof after ending their baron run of 26 years without a win at Old Trafford. A draw is the safest bet, although the pair have never played out a draw at The Stadium of Light.

Match Odds:

Sunderland – 3.00 SkyBet

Draw – 3.50 SkyBet

Aston Villa – 2.50 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: James Milner Anytime Goalscorer – 4/1 Coral