Aston Villa v Tottenham

Aston Villa and Tottenham face off on Sunday, May 6, 2012. Game is at 14:00 GMT.

Teams News

Aston Villa

The Villans are still facing the possibility of relegation although to a lesser extent. At the moment, they are in a perilous 15th place, with only three points separating them form the first relegation spot. So it goes without saying that the only thing Alex McLeish and his guys have to think about now is how to hold their ground and minimize losses with Tottenham visiting this weekend.

Minimizing losses, fortunately for Villa fans, is the specialty of the house. Aston Villa has not won a game since late March, but they have held their ground in four occasions, giving them four valuable points that are now comfortably cushioning them on top of several relegation-bound sides. The team from Villa Park have drawn 16 games this season, more than any other team in the league. So while it looks unlikely for Villa to get a win every now and then, you can be sure that the team has the capability to play for a point and do so convincingly.

Tottenham

Tottenham still has to play Bolton at the Reebok in the midweek before visiting Aston Villa for their second-to-the-last match of their season. Regardless of the result against Bolton, Harry Redknapp will nonetheless have the team’s Champions League ambition in his head, and this means to win all remaining games of the season at all costs.

The Spurs are holding a critical fourth spot at the moment, with changes to the standings due in the next 24 hours. Should they win against Bolton, they will be closer to third-place Arsenal by just a point, but that doesn’t mean they can start to relax. A win against Aston Villa will keep the team in stride until the finish, with Newcastle and Chelsea waiting for an opportunity to catch the Spurs cold.

Aston Villa v Tottenham Betting Preview

Tottenham won 2-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season; that victory takes them to three straight wins against Aston Villa in their last five. Things slightly change however when the venue is considered. Tottenham has not lost a game at Villa Park since 2009. The last time Villa won against the Spurs at home was back in 2008.

Betting Tip

Verdict: Tottenham will be too much for Villa, and will get a 2-1 win.

Tip: Tottenham may be in favor, but Aston Villa has what it takes to hold their opponents down to a draw. Amusingly, a win and a draw for Aston Villa are both staked at 12/5; statistically, you are better off with the draw.

Villa forced two scoreless draws in their last three, so it might be good to stay away from “goalscorer punts” for now. But if it cannot be helped, go for Andreas Weimann to score first/last at 8/1, and anytime at 12/5. Andreas started March and April with a goal, and given that it’s early in May, he might just fulfill a rather strange trend here. Moreover, while Tottenham players are more likely to score than Weimann, they do not necessarily offer better rewards.

All odds are from Bet365.com (£200 FREE BET!).