Aston Villa vs Brighton predictions: Seagulls' struggles to continue
- Aston Villa are ninth in the Premier League table after their 3-0 defeat to Newcastle
- Brighton have dropped to 10th after a poor run of form
- Recommended bet: Aston Villa to win
After a promising start to life under Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton saw their winless run extended to six with Friday's goalless draw at home to Brentford.
The Seagulls have drawn four of those six matches, but they know a victory on Monday would see them leapfrog Aston Villa and reignite their European qualification aspirations.
Villa are also looking to respond to a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle on Boxing Day, but Unai Emery's side have won three league games on the spin on home soil.
The Villans have gone eight league games unbeaten on their own patch, which includes a trio of successes over Brentford, Southampton and Manchester City.
Emery's troops won this corresponding fixture 6-1 last season and they will be hoping that they at least repeat the feat on Monday.
Team news
Jhon Duran and Matty Cash are both suspended for Aston Villa, while Jacob Ramsey is sidelined through injury.
Brighton must do without Evan Ferguson, James Milner, Adam Webster, Jack Hinshelwood, Ferdi Kadioglu and Mats Wieffer while Danny Welbeck is a doubt.
The stats
Aston Villa are unbeaten in eight Premier League home games, winning three in a row.
Villa have won five of their last six Premier League meetings with Brighton.
Both teams have scored in six of Villa's last eight home league games.
Brighton are without a victory in six league fixtures, with them drawing four of those fixtures.
Both teams have scored in 14 of Brighton's last 16 matches.
The Seagulls have won only two of their eight away league games.
Prediction
Both of these sides will still rightly carry European qualification aspirations but it is Aston Villa who are fancied to bolster their position in this match-up.
The Villans have been less consistent than last season, but they tend to deliver at home, where they have gone eight games unbeaten in the league since suffering a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in August.
Emery's men took their winning run at home to three with a 2-1 victory over Manchester City just over a week ago and this looks a good time to be playing Brighton.
The Seagulls are winless in six and they have been held to draws against basement boys Southampton and third-bottom Leicester in that period, highlighting their dip in form.
Brighton have lost on their last three visits to Villa Park in the league and more misery may follow in the West Midlands.
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