Everything you need to know about Aston Villa/Everton

Aston Villa/Everton, Sunday 2pm, Sky Sports 1, £25 Free Bet

Aston Villa will be out for revenge because their nine-match winless run began with a 3-1 loss at Goodison Park in the FA Cup but Everton will be just as hungry for three points that would see them leapfrog Martin O’Neill’s side. chickendinner have teamed up with Betfair to produce another Big Match Wizard, with stats on every player who is likely to start the match as well as some superfacts. Click here to check it out now!

Posted: April 10th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Aston Villa still have more to offer as April arrives

A lot has been written about Aston Villa’s dreadful record in March but less well-known is the fact that some of their best Premier League form over the past 12 years has come in April. Villa might not be able to regain fourth place but an upturn in form could be terrible news for Manchester United, who host Martin O’Neill’s side in a fortnight.

Here is a table showing Aston Villa’s April record over the last 12 seasons:

That impressive record would look even stronger without the two exceptions - 2001-02 and 2005-06 - which were both World Cup years where players were perhaps saving themselves and didn’t want to risk injury. Without those flops, the latter of which contributed to David O’Leary losing his job, their April record since 1997-98 would read: P45 W22 D21 L2.

Posted: March 23rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Liverpool’s goal difference, Spurs’ revival and Villa’s terrible record in March

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Ten days ago Manchester United’s goal difference was eleven goals superior to Liverpool’s, which was also worse than Chelsea’s. Over the course of just two games, there has been a 13-goal swing in Liverpool’s favour and the reigning champions now only have the league’s third-best goal difference.

2. Only once in the last ten years has the team with the best goal difference not won the league. That was in 2002-03 when Arsenal’s was superior to that of the champions Manchester United.

3. Tottenham’s six-match unbeaten league run is their strongest since the end of 2006-07, when they finished fifth. If they take a point at Blackburn in a fortnight it will be their longest since September-October 2005.

Posted: March 23rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Spurs are seventh best, Kevin Davies is Britain’s top scoring striker and more

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Spurs have been the seventh best team in the Premier League since Harry Redknapp took over in October. Over his 21 games in charge they have taken just three points less than Arsenal and five less than Aston Villa.

2. Aston Villa have lost three of their last four league games having been unbeaten in thirteen prior to that blip. Similarly, Manchester United had conceded just two goals in sixteen league games prior to their 4-1 home humiliation against Liverpool.

3. Middlesbrough have only lost one of their last eight Premier League home games but have only won once during that spell.

Posted: March 16th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Aston Villa need to return to form against improving Spurs

Villa/Tottenham, Sunday 4pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

For the majority of the season Aston Villa have been pushing forward at the same pace that Tottenham have been falling backwards but over the last month the two sides’ fortunes have reversed somewhat, with Villa on a six-match winless run and Spurs on a five-match unbeaten run. Here’s why a draw - offered at 5/2 by Boylesports - could be on the cards this weekend:

» Four of the last seven meetings between the two sides have finished level, including two of the last three at Villa Park.

» Aston Villa have drawn half of their fourteen home league games this season, which is the biggest percentage in the Premier League and only matched by Morecambe in the Football League.

Posted: March 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Seven reasons why Chelsea won’t beat Aston Villa

Aston Villa/Chelsea, 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Guus Hiddink starts his stint as Chelsea manager on Saturday knowing that they can’t afford to lose, but the stats suggest there is no way that they can win either. Despite the form guide handing a clear advantage to Aston Villa, Chelsea have been installed as favourites. Ladbrokes offer 11/8 on Hiddink starting with a win but here are seven reasons why he will fail:

1. Since achieving a record eleven straight away league wins, Chelsea have failed to win any of their last four on the road.

2. The Blues have won just four of their last twelve league matches and three of those triumphs came at Stamford Bridge.

3. Chelsea haven’t won any of their last ten away games against Aston Villa, with their last triumph coming way back in 1999.

Posted: February 19th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment