Played
April 21, 2012 10:00 AM EDT
Villa Park — Birmingham
Referee: A. Taylor
Attendance: 32557
April 21, 2012 10:00 AM EDT
Villa Park — Birmingham
Referee: A. Taylor
Attendance: 32557
Premier League Preview: Aston Villa - Sunderland
Alex McLeish's men enter a crucial period of the season, just six points above the drop zone, with work still to be done if they are to avoid the drop.
By Steve Hewlett
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
ASTON VILLA
 Given Hutton, Collins, Clark, Lichaj Agbonlahor, Ireland, Bannan, Gardner Heskey, N'Zogbia |
SUNDERLAND
 Mignolet Bardsley, Turner, Kilgallon, Bridge Larsson, Gardner, Sessegnon, Richardson Campbell, Bendtner |
With a storm brewing for Alex McLeish regarding his immediate future with the second city club, Aston Villa go into this game still looking over its shoulder at the Premier League relegation zone.
Villa finds itself six points clear of third bottom Bolton Wandererers and still a little nervous about its top-flight status for next season.
Stephen Warnock and Fabian Delph are still touch-and-go to start this game, but Ciaran Clark should be back in the starting XI.
Sunderland's blistering run, which coincided with the arrival of Martin O'Neill, has gained sufficient points to avoid any relegation fears and its remaining games give it the chance to finish the season on a high note.
Captain Lee Cattermole and John O'Shea are unlikely to start which means Wayne Bridge could make a return to the starting lineup.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Sunderland is without an away win in the Premier League since beating Stoke City on Feb. 4.
- The Black Cats enter this game still with a shot of a top 10 finish in the league.
- Stephane Sessegnon scored an 89th minute equalizer in the sides' meeting in October, as Villa twice lost the lead in a 2-2 draw.
- Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley scored the winner in last season's 1-0 win at Villa Park, and has previously played for the Villans while on-loan from Manchester United.
- O'Neill's side has two wins and two draws in its last four games against Villa.
- Aston Villa has been on a dreadful run of late. It has won only twice in 13 games stretching back to the end of January
- This game marks the first return to Villa Park for Martin O'Neill (pictured right) since he left his post as Villa manager in August 2010.
- Villa follows up this game with a critical encounter against Bolton which could go a long way to ensuring safety.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Aston Villa 1-1 Sunderland
- 13.08 %
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Aston Villa 2-1 Sunderland
- 12.5 %
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Aston Villa 1-2 Sunderland
- 11.63 %
| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Apr 29, 2013 | Aston Villa 6 - Sunderland 1 |
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Nov 3, 2012 | Sunderland 0 - Aston Villa 1 |
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Apr 21, 2012 | Aston Villa 0 - Sunderland 0 |
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Oct 29, 2011 | Sunderland 2 - Aston Villa 2 |
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| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Jan 5, 2011 | Aston Villa 0 - Sunderland 1 |
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Aston Villa
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| May 19, 2013 | Wigan Athletic 2 - Aston Villa 2 | EPL |
| May 11, 2013 | Aston Villa 1 - Chelsea 2 | EPL |
| May 4, 2013 | Norwich City 1 - Aston Villa 2 | EPL |
| Apr 29, 2013 | Aston Villa 6 - Sunderland 1 | EPL |
| Apr 22, 2013 | Manchester United 3 - Aston Villa 0 | EPL |
Sunderland
 |
||
| May 19, 2013 | Tottenham 1 - Sunderland 0 | EPL |
| May 12, 2013 | Sunderland 1 - Southampton 1 | EPL |
| May 6, 2013 | Sunderland 1 - Stoke 1 | EPL |
| Apr 29, 2013 | Aston Villa 6 - Sunderland 1 | EPL |
| Apr 20, 2013 | Sunderland 1 - Everton 0 | EPL |
| 1 | Shay Given | Goalkeeper |
| 19 | James Collins | Defender |
| 24 | Carlos Javier Cuéllar | Defender |
| 43 | Eric Lichaj | Defender |
| 32 | Nathan Baker | Defender |
| 7 | Stephen Ireland | Midfielder |
| 10 | Charles N'Zogbia | Midfielder |
| 12 | Marc Albrighton | Midfielder |
| 31 | Chris Herd | Midfielder |
| 11 | Gabriel Agbonlahor | Striker |
| 26 | Andreas Weimann | Striker |
| 22 | Bradley Guzan | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Alan Hutton | Defender |
| 13 | Stephen Warnock | Defender |
| 25 | Barry Bannan | Midfielder |
| 38 | Gary Gardner | Midfielder |
| 40 | Samir Carruthers | Midfielder |
| 18 | Emile Heskey | Striker |
| 22 | Simon Mignolet | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Phil Bardsley | Defender |
| 6 | Michael Turner | Defender |
| 27 | Matthew Kilgallon | Defender |
| 16 | John O'Shea | Defender |
| 7 | Sebastian Larsson | Midfielder |
| 8 | Craig Gardner | Midfielder |
| 14 | Jack Colback | Midfielder |
| 23 | James McClean | Midfielder |
| 28 | Stéphane Sessegnon | Midfielder |
| 17 | Nicklas Bendtner | Striker |
| 20 | Keiren Westwood | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Wayne Bridge | Defender |
| 16 | Sotirios Kyrgiakos | Defender |
| 15 | David Vaughan | Midfielder |
| 18 | David Meyler | Midfielder |
| 25 | Fraizer Campbell | Striker |
| 10 | Dong-Won Ji | Striker |
Results
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