Aston Villa vs Lille predictions: Villa to claim first-leg advantage
- Villa are fifth in Premier League
- Lille are fourth in Ligue 1
- Recommended bet: Aston Villa to win and both teams to score
Aston Villa should have too much for French side Lille as Unai Emery's men aim to claim a first-leg lead in their Europa Conference quarter-final at home on Thursday.
Villa have enjoyed a fine season so far and sit fifth in the Premier League with the run-in looming as they look to secure a place in next season's Champions League.
However, they are far from done in Europe yet this term as they prepare for their first major continental quarter-final since 1998.
Admittedly, it is the third-tier competition they are now gracing but, as West Ham proved last year, this trophy is there for the winning for Premier League teams and Villa look well placed to follow the Hammers and enjoy their own taste of European glory in the coming weeks.
Team news
Villa remain without long-term injury victims Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara and Emi Buendia, while Clement Lenglet, Matty Cash and Jacob Ramsey are also still absent.
There is a slight question mark over key striker Ollie Watkins, who has been hampered by a hamstring problem recently, but it is hoped he will be fit. If not Emery could turn to Jhon Duran up front.
The vistiors are set to be missing injured trio Andrej Ilic, Tiago Morais and Samuel Umtiti, but Angel Gomes could be back in the squad after recently recovering from a hamstring strain.
The stats
Villa finished top of Group E, winning four of their six games, drawing once and losing once before they saw off Dutch giants Ajax 4-0 on aggregate in the last 16.
Lille came top of Group A with a record of four wins and two draws and then they overcame Sturm Graz 4-1 on aggregate in the previous round.
The Villans have won all five of their home assignments in the competition so far.
Lille have only failed to score in one of their European games this season and have been on the scoresheet in their last 12 matches in all competitions.
Both teams have scored in Lille's last five games and there have been goals for both sides in three of Villa's last five matches.
Prediction
Villa are pressing for a top-four place domestically, but they have proved they can cope with the dual challenge of regular Premier League and Europa Conference League football up to now and there is little to suggest that that will change as the climax to the campaign draws near.
Paulo Fonseca's Lille are fourth in Ligue 1, so are in a similar position themselves, but the way Emery's side blew Ajax away in the previous round when they won 4-0 at Villa Park in the second leg will worry the French outfit.
Villa have only failed to score in one of their Conference League games so far this season and have netted 13 times in their last five home matches in all competitions.
With Lille also usually finding the back of the net they can play their part on the night, but overall the Premier League side should be too strong.
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