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Match Preview – Aston Villa v Norwich City – A final test as the Playoffs loom large.

Korben O'Brienon

Aston Villa vs Norwich City – Match Preview

Contributed by Korben O’Brien | Join The Team

Villa are back on home soil for the final time of the regular campaign, facing Norwich City at Villa Park.

LAST TIME OUT

Goals from Mateusz Klich and Albert Adomah produced a 1-1 draw between Leeds United and Villa, with both goals “out of the ordinary”.

Klich fired home in controversial circumstances on 72 minutes as Tyler Roberts failed to kick the ball out of play with Jonathan Kodjia down injured, something we as the visitors had done in the first half.

In the resulting melee, Anwar El Ghazi was dismissed and Conor Hourihane booked as the claret and blues contested the opener.

From the resulting kick off, the Leeds allowed Villa to march up the field to score an uncontested leveller through Albert Adomah (although Pontus Jansson looked like he may not have received the memo from head coach Marcelo Bielsa).

No Bore draw

With both teams already realistically looking like play off contenders, you’d have been forgiven for thinking this could have turned into a damp squib.

However, it was anything but, with blood and thunder across the 90 minutes.  It was certainly no dead rubber end of season encounter.

It was high intensity throughout with ebb and flow for the teams under the watchful eye of Dean Smith and Marcelo Bielsa.

It finished 1-1, but that, of course, only told part of the story!  There’s now the tantalising prospect of a playoff rematch looking likely too.

NORWICH

This Sunday afternoon Villa face a Norwich City side who have already clinched promotion to the Premier League and have had a spectacular season.

The visitors will seal the Championship title should they manage to end our fantastic winning run.

PREDICTIONS

Korben’s Prediction:

My prediction is that it is going to be a very tough game , but i think Villa will make it 13 unbeaten and spoil Norwich’s party.

Aston Villa 2-1 Norwich City 1 – with Grealish and El Ghazi scoring for Villa.

VillaUnderground.com Prediction:

There’s a fantastic aura around the first team at the moment, with a determination and a winning mentality that has been absent from the club for a generation (or more).  Despite the obvious advantages of resting players or half hearted commitment, Villa continue to put everything into the season.  Indeed, Villa’s trip to Leeds could easily have been disregarded, but we saw another very strong side giving everything.  Ahead of the hugely important playoff games, expect Villa to look to use the final game against 1st place Norwich as the final catalyst to our promotion hopes.

Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich – Mings to score for Villa.

Key Facts

  • Norwich can win the Championship title this weekend
  • Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last nine vs Norwich at Villa Park
  • Villa would go 13 games unbeaten if we avoid defeat.
  • Villa form – WWWWWWWWWWD
  • Norwich form – WDDDDWWWWWW
  • John McGinn will not be risked owing to being 1 yellow card away from a ban.
  • Tammy Abraham is match fit and available for selection.
  • Kodjia, Hause & Kalinic have all been declared fit to feature.
  • El Ghazi’s red card against Leeds has been lifted.
  • Villa will finished the season in 5th regardless of results.