Aston Villa vs FulhamB ukan maksud saya untuk menyediakan prediksi sebagai sebuah sumber referensi bagi para petaruh bola. Hanya sekedar ingin membagi sumber mengenai Liga Inggris yang semakin semarak menjelang akhir putaran pertama ini.
Banyak pertandingan akan dilangsungkan pada malam hari ini, tetapi saya memilih menampikan prediksi pribadi teman mengenai pertandngan Aston Villa melawan Fulham. Sedikit banyak ini disebabkan saya cukup mengagumi klub Aston Villa.
Aston Villa, who broke into the Top 4 last week following an impressive 0-0 draw with Manchester United, welcome the visit of Fulham to Villa Park today looking to further cement their status as one of the big boys. Prior to their draw with United, they went to the Emirates Stadium and secured a stunning 2-0 win. These 2 good results saw them banish the nightmare of 2 straight losses to Newcastle and Middlesbrough in the Premier League. Their opponents Fulham are in good mood though. Lying 9th on the table, they have Andrew Johnson's form to thank. The Cottagers have now lost just 1 of their last 7 Premiership games, drawing against Sunderland, Portsmouth and Liverpool, and beating Wigan, Newcastle and Tottenham. Avoiding a defeat is all it takes for Fulham takers to reap full rewards. I do, however, believe Aston Villa at Villa Park will prove a different beast.
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill will get a fitness boost. Carlos Cuellar, John Carew and Luke Young, who have been struggling with groin, hip and thigh injuries, could all return for Fulham's visit. Goalkeeper Brad Friedel will be looking to keep a cleansheet as he breaks David James' record of 166 consecutive Premier League appearances. It remains to be seen if Carew is going to break into the side, with Gabriel Agbonlahor doing really well with the support of James Milner and Ashley Young, as well as Steven Sidwell's good performances from the middle. For Fulham, manager Roy Hodgson is likely going to field the same side that drew 0-0 with Liverpool. That means midfielder Leon Andreasen would start on the bench. Jimmy Bullard and Danny Murphy will have to win the midfield battle with Stiliyan Petrov and Gareth Barry in order for Fulham to take anything out of this one - I feel.
My feeling is that Villa will do what is needed - win. It has been a while since Gareth Barry last had a big match, and in front of the home fans he could find his name on the scoresheet. Fulham, as much as they have been very decent in recent times, have not exactly been playing attractive football, and they have had to scramble to score goals. At Villa Park, especially with Friedel dead set to put his name in the record books in style, will marshal his defence well. Villa tend to disappoint when expectations are placed upon them, and this match has all the makings of another disappointment. However, I will stick by them for this one. You do feel O'Neill is getting things right over there, with back-to-back results against top teams United and Arsenal... they should edge this one with a narrow scoreline.
