Chris Sutton predicts Aston Villa clash v Brighton in Premier League
Unai Emery and Aston Villa will fall to defeat against Brighton in the Premier League at the weekend, according to pundit Chris Sutton.
The Spaniard suffered his first setback as Villa manager after losing 4-2 to Manchester United in a thrilling Carabao Cup match and will travel to the AMEX Stadium looking to build on the club’s points tally before the World Cup winter break.
However, Villa will face a buoyant Brighton side who have scored 10 goals in their last three outings and are brimming with confidence under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
The Seagulls, who sit sixth in the table on goal difference, will prove a stern test for Emery side according to Chris Sutton, who predicted a 2-1 loss for Villa on the BBC Sport website.
He said: “There were some rave reviews of Aston Villa when they beat Manchester United last weekend in Unai Emery’s first game as manager, and they will look to maintain that momentum on the south coast.
“But Brighton are in a really good place at the moment after back-to-back league wins, and they fully deserve to be in the top six based on their recent performances.”
Entertaining encounter awaits
For the neutral, this game should be a wonderful watch.
With both sides recently falling under the leadership of new managers, this will be a good chance to see who has implemented their philosophy quicker at their respective clubs.
Considering Emery has only taken charge of two games in the Villa dugout, his side seems to have adapted to his favoured 4-4-2 formation remarkably well, with Leon Bailey thriving in his newfound split striker position.
The likes of Tyrone Mings and Lucas Digne will be looking to make a statement after both being left out of their national squads for the World Cup and will be ready to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Boosted by the return of Boubacar Kamara, who forged a strong partnership with Douglas Luiz, and considering the attacking talent Emery has at his disposal, there will surely be goals in this one.
This one really could go either way, but Villa can ride the wave of momentum and come away with a result from the south coast.
In other news, Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne both miss out on France World Cup squad.