Former Villa Stars United in Predicting Home Victory Against Brighton
Two former Aston Villa players have delivered their verdicts ahead of Wednesday night's Premier League encounter at Villa Park, with both Chris Sutton and Paul Merson forecasting victories for Unai Emery's side against struggling Brighton & Hove Albion.
Villa Seeking Return to Form After Recent Stumbles
Aston Villa enter the midweek fixture looking to rediscover their winning touch after a challenging period that has seen their outside title aspirations diminish. The Villans have managed just one victory in their last five Premier League outings, including a disappointing home defeat to Brentford and a fortunate draw at Bournemouth last weekend.
Meanwhile, Brighton's form has been even more concerning, with the Seagulls having secured only one league win in their previous twelve matches. This poor run has seen Fabian Hurzeler's side slide to 14th position in the table, increasing pressure on the head coach and raising fears about potential relegation involvement.
Chris Sutton's Detailed Analysis and Prediction
Speaking as part of his regular prediction series for BBC Sport, former striker Chris Sutton provided comprehensive analysis before forecasting a 3-1 victory for the home side. "Brighton have only won one of their past 12 league games so the worry for them has to be that they will get sucked into the relegation scrap," Sutton observed.
The pundit highlighted Brighton's 4-3 home defeat to Villa in December as the beginning of their current poor run and expressed surprise at their struggles given the quality within their squad. "I looked at their bench against Crystal Palace at the weekend and thought 'blimey, they've got a good squad', but they are underperforming," he noted.
Sutton did express some concerns about Villa's recent home form, referencing consecutive defeats to Everton and Brentford at Villa Park, but ultimately backed his former club to secure three points, suggesting midfielder Morgan Rogers would prove decisive.
Paul Merson's Confident Assessment
Former Villa and Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson was even more emphatic in his prediction, telling Sportskeeda he "can't see anything but an Aston Villa win" and forecasting a 2-0 victory for Emery's team.
Merson emphasised the importance of the fixture for Villa's season objectives, warning that failure to secure victory could see them battling for a top-five finish rather than maintaining their earlier title challenge. "Imagine being considered title contenders to struggling to finish in the top five, that would be a big disappointment for Villa," he stated.
The former England international reserved special praise for Morgan Rogers, declaring the midfielder "guaranteed a place" in England's World Cup squad ahead of established stars like Cole Palmer and Phil Foden based on his current form.
Contrasting Views and Wider Context
While Sutton and Merson both predicted Villa victories, their assessments weren't universally shared. Ryder Cup golfer and Arsenal supporter Ian Poulter predicted a 0-0 draw, suggesting Villa might "stumble again" at home.
The match represents a crucial opportunity for both teams to address their respective concerns. Villa need to reestablish their formidable home form to maintain their position in the top three, while Brighton desperately require points to halt their slide down the table and alleviate growing pressure on manager Fabian Hurzeler.
With both former Villa stars highlighting Morgan Rogers as a potential match-winner, all eyes will be on the midfielder to deliver the creative spark that could secure a vital three points for the home side at Villa Park on Wednesday evening.
