Ajax vs Aston Villa predictions: Vibrant Villa value for first-leg victory

- Ajax have kept only one clean sheet in their last 17 matches in all competitions
- Aston Villa have won and both teams have scored in their last three games
- Recommended bet: Aston Villa Win and Both Teams to Score

Aston Villa's bid to qualify for next season's Champions League has been boosted by three straight wins in the Premier League, but this week the focus is on the Europa Conference League.

Villa thumped Hibs 8-0 on aggregate to book their place in the group stage of the competition and they are favourites to lift the trophy after taking 13 points off rivals Zrinjski, AZ Alkmaar and Legia Warsaw.

Villa boss Unai Emery should be confident going into Thursday's clash with Ajax, who are 27 points off the pace in the Eredivisie and who needed extra-time to edge past Bodo/Glimt 4-3 on aggregate in the play-off round.

Team news

Ajax are missing the injured Steven Bergwijn and the suspended Josip Sutalo. Carlos Forbs and Chuba Akpom are pushing for recalls and England international Jordan Henderson should start in central midfield.

Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey has joined Boubacar Kamara, Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury at Luton.

Moussa Diaby could start in place of Ramsey while centre-backs Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres returned to action at the weekend.

The stats

Ajax have kept only one clean sheet in their last 17 matches in all competitions, while both teams have scored in seven of their last eight home games.

Three of Ajax's last six home matches have ended 2-2.

Aston Villa have won and both teams have scored in their last three Premier League games, while five of Villa's last seven matches have featured over 3.5 goals

Villa have scored 12 goals in four away matches in this season's Europa Conference League.

Prediction

Aston Villa manager Emery is a four-time winner of the Europa League and he has a great chance to add another continental title to his collection this season.

West Ham landed the Conference League last term, when they finished 14th in the Premier League, so it is no surprise to see fourth-placed Villa at the head of the betting.

Both of these clubs have illustrious European pedigrees, but Ajax have had a tough season. 

They scraped past Norwegian opponents Bodo/Glimt in the previous round of the Conference League and their 2-0 weekend win over Utrecht ended a run of 16 matches without a clean sheet.

Another shutout looks unlikely when Ajax welcome free-scoring Villa to the Johan Cruyff Arena. The Villans have scored 12 times in four away matches in this competition and they beat Fulham 2-1, Nottingham Forest 4-2 and Luton 3-2 in their last three league outings.

The in-form Ollie Watkins is a cut above the kind of forwards Ajax face in the Eredivisie and backing Villa to win and both teams to score looks a solid bet.

AZ Alkmaar, who inflicted Ajax's most recent league defeat last month, lost 4-1 at home and 2-1 away in their group meetings with Villa and there should be more Dutch delight for Emery's men in the last 16.

Back Aston Villa Win and Both Teams to Score, available at 29/20 with LiveScore Bet

Win up to £1m with LiveScore 6!

We have a boosted jackpot of up to £1m this week! Predict the score of all six LiveScore 6 fixtures for your chance to win - and it's free-to-play.

And if you get just one score right, you'll be entered into a prize draw to win a mystery football shirt, thanks to our friends at Mystery Football. 18+, UK/Ireland residents only, T&Cs apply