Aston Villa are set to host Leicester City at Villa Park on Saturday, with both teams keenly aware of the stakes involved in their pursuit of Champions League qualification. As the season progresses, Villa's form has been a mixed bag; they began December with optimism but have since managed only one victory in their last four league outings. That solitary triumph came against Manchester City, a side that has struggled for consistency, particularly in their recent matches against Leicester.
In contrast, Leicester City concluded 2024 on a disappointing note, suffering a 2-0 defeat to a Manchester City team that has been underwhelming for much of the season. The Foxes have recorded just one win since October, placing considerable pressure on their squad as they seek to turn their fortunes around. A closer examination of both teams' recent performances highlights the challenges they face ahead of this pivotal encounter.
**Recent Form:**
- **Aston Villa:**
- 2-2 vs Brighton (30/12/24)
- 0-3 vs Newcastle (26/12/24)
- 2-1 vs Manchester City (21/12/24)
- 1-2 vs Nottingham Forest (14/12/24)
- 2-3 vs RB Leipzig (10/12/24)
- **Leicester City:**
- 0-2 vs Manchester City (29/12/24)
- 1-3 vs Liverpool (26/12/24)
- 0-3 vs Wolves (22/12/24)
- 2-2 vs Brighton (08/12/24)
- 0-4 vs Newcastle (14/12/24)
**Broadcast Information:**
- **United Kingdom:** Coverage available on talkSPORT, BBC Radio 5 Live, and BBC Radio Leicester.
- **United States:** Streaming on Peacock and SiriusXM FC.
- **Canada:** Accessible on fuboTV Canada and Fubo Sports Network 4.
Aston Villa will be without Jhon Duran for two more matches due to suspension, while Morgan Rogers is also unavailable after receiving his fifth yellow card. The injury to centre-back Pau Torres may pave the way for Tyrone Mings to return to the starting line-up, bringing much-needed experience to the defence.
**Predicted Aston Villa Lineup (4-2-3-1):** Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, McGinn, Ramsey; Watkins.
Leicester City will welcome back Jordan Ayew following his one-match ban, and he is expected to reintegrate into the attack. Defender Wout Faes may also return from injury, although Ricardo Pereira, Wilfred Ndidi, Abdul Fatawu, and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen will remain sidelined.
**Predicted Leicester Lineup (4-2-3-1):** Stolarczyk; Justin, Coady, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Soumare, Winks; Buonanotte, El Khannouss, Ayew; Vardy.
Despite their recent struggles, Aston Villa will take confidence from their home form, having remained unbeaten at Villa Park in league play since August. The expectation for a decisive victory against a Leicester side grappling with significant defensive issues under Ruud van Nistelrooy is palpable. While Ayew’s return offers a much-needed boost for the Foxes, their capacity to control the match and make a meaningful impact remains uncertain, particularly against a resilient Villa side that will be eager to assert their dominance on home turf.