Aston Villa will be looking for just their second Premier League win of the season when they welcome Burnley to Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
Dean Smith's side are currently 18th in the table with four points from their six league games this season, while Burnley sit ninth in the division having collected eight points from their six fixtures at the start of the 2019-20 campaign.
Match preview
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Villa spent over £100m in the summer transfer window as they prepared for their return to the Premier League, but it has been a tough start to the campaign for the club, who are currently inside the relegation zone.
One win, one draw and four defeats – that is how Smith's side have performed this term. Last season's Championship playoff winners started the season with back-to-back defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth, before recording three much-needed points at home to Everton on August 23.
Villa then lost at Crystal Palace, though, before drawing with West Ham United on September 16. It did appear that the team would be collecting something from their trip to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday but that ultimately proved not to be the case.
Indeed, Smith's side led 1-0 and 2-1 away to Arsenal at the weekend, but the 10-man Gunners scored twice in the latter stages to secure a 3-2 win. The result was another blow for a side that have Manchester City and Liverpool in two of their next five Premier League matches.
Villa were in EFL Cup action away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night, though, and recorded an impressive 3-1 victory at the Amex Stadium to book their spot in the next round of the competition.
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Burnley ended their 2018-19 Premier League campaign with three straight defeats, but Sean Dyche's side were 3-0 winners over Southampton in their opening match of the new season.
The Clarets then suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at Arsenal in their second match, before picking up a point away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 25. There were plenty of positive signs in their first three games, although Liverpool were far too good for them at Turf Moor on August 31, recording a 3-0 win.
Dyche's team picked up a point away to Brighton in their first game after the international break, however, before beating Norwich City 2-0 last weekend. They are one of six teams to have eight points from six matches this season – including Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Last season was disappointing for Burnley when considering that they finished the campaign in 15th – just six points outside of the relegation zone. Indeed, only the three relegated clubs – Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield Town – lost more times in the Premier League than the Clarets last term.
Burnley have a solid return when considering the strength of their games this season, though, and it would be a surprise if the team flirted with the relegation zone this season as they look to have their solidarity back.
Aston Villa form: LLWLDL
Burnley form: WLDLDW
Team News
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The performances of Conor Hourihane and Jota might have given Villa boss Smith food for thought when it comes to his selection this weekend.
A strong performance at Brighton ended in a 3-1 win, but the bulk of the players from that match are expected to drop out with the likes of Jack Grealish, Wesley and Tyrone Mings returning to the XI.
Jonathan Kodjia and James Chester are currently Villa's only first-team absentees, meaning that Smith has plenty of options for change.
As for Burnley, Danny Drinkwater is still waiting to make his debut for the club, but the on-loan Chelsea midfielder is not expected to feature this weekend.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson is also a doubt to make the starting team due a calf problem despite returning to the squad, meaning that Jeff Hendrick could continue in a wide position.
There are not expected to be many surprises in Dyche's XI this weekend with Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes and Dwight McNeil certainties to feature.
Aston Villa possible starting lineup: Heaton; Guilbert, Mings, Engels, Taylor; McGinn, Luiz, Grealish; Trezeguet, Wesley, El Ghazi
Burnley possible starting lineup: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; McNeil, Cork, Westwood, Hendrick; Wood, Barnes
We say: Aston Villa 2-1 Burnley
Villa need to give their fans something to cheer after a tough few weeks in the league, and we fancy the hosts to triumph. It will actually be the first time that the two clubs have met at Villa Park in the Premier League since February 2010 - Villa won 5-2 on that occasion, but we are expecting fewer goals this time around.
Matt Law
