Aston Villa vs Watford. Premier League.
Villa ParkAttendance35,057.
Saturday 28 November 2015 15:16, UK
Aston Villa go in search of their first win in 12 league fixtures when they host Watford at Villa Park on Saturday.
New Villa boss Remi Garde has only been in charge of two of those games but the Villa players would be excused for forgetting what winning a football match feels like with the last win coming against Bournemouth on the opening day.
The Villans are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table with five points, while Watford are in 13th having secured four wins and four draws from their opening 13 games.
Team news
Jack Grealish has been dropped from the Aston Villa squad ahead of the home game against Watford.
The young midfielder will not be involved on Saturday as punishment for his off-field behaviour after he was pictured partying last weekend following Villa's 4-0 defeat at Everton.
Some good news for Villa is the return to fitness of Jores Okore from a knee injury and the defender could be in the squad for the first time since the FA Cup final in May. Forward Gabby Agbonlahor (calf) will be assessed.
Watford have no new injuries but Valon Behrami remains a doubt with a knee problem.
Opta stats
The Villans have won six and lost none of the last eight meetings in all competitions with Watford at Villa Park.
Watford have won none of the last five league meetings with Villa (W0 D2 L3) and failed to score in the last four.
The Villans have won none of their last 12 Barclays Premier League matches (D2 L10).
Villa have failed to score in five of their last seven matches on home soil.
The Hornets have lost only two of their last seven league away games (W3 D2 L2).
Villa have the lowest shooting accuracy in the league, hitting the target with just 36% of their efforts.
No Premier League team has ever survived having accumulated five points or fewer after 13 games to a season: QPR in 2012-13, Sheffield Wednesday in 1999-00, Swindon Town in 1993-94 and Sunderland in 2005-06.
Villa have scored just four goals in their last eight league matches and just once in the last four on home soil.
Watford are the only team in the league yet to score a headed goal this season.
Watford have conceded a league-high 86% of their goals in the second-half of games this season.
Merson's prediction
I think this is Villa's biggest game for a long, long time. Watford are doing well, don't get me wrong, but Villa have to win this football match. They're being cut adrift at the moment.
You look at the table, it's five points from safety already. I worry for Villa, it's a cup final, and one of their best players Jack Grealish is not playing. I have to go with a draw, I can't see Villa winning. I'm trying to make a case for them and I can't see it.
It's a perfect game for Watford. They'll play on the counter attack, Villa fans are going to turn up and want them to really go for it, but they haven't got the players to go for it so they're going to get frustrated. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm going for a draw, but that's more through hope than anything.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (9/2 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Villa are narrow 6/4 favourites ahead of the visit of 9/5 shots Watford with the draw available at 11/5. Villa have not won since the opening day of the season and are 7/4 favourites to finish bottom of the table.
Watford have suffered successive 2-1 defeats, a 9/1 chance on Saturday, but have scored in their last four matches and can be backed at 11/2 to win with both teams scoring.
Rudy Gestede is 5/1 to net the opener for Villa with Odion Ighalo 9/4 to score anytime for the visitors. Sky Sports pundits Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson are both predicting a 1-1 draw at odds of 9/2.
