Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace Prediction & Betting Tips (31 August)

Aston Villa welcome Crystal Palace to Villa Park in what promises to be a tightly contested Premier League clash. Unai Emery’s side are still smarting from a goalless draw against Newcastle and a narrow 1-0 defeat to Brentford, but their home form remains formidable. Villa are unbeaten in their last 21 matches at home across all competitions, and Ollie Watkins continues to be their talisman, especially on home turf. With Emiliano Martinez suspended and Morgan Rogers nursing an ankle sprain, Emery will rely on new signing Marco Bizot between the posts and hope that Evann Guessand can inject fresh energy into the attack.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, arrive in Birmingham amid a whirlwind of change. Eberechi Eze’s high-profile move to Arsenal has left a creative void, and manager Oliver Glasner is scrambling to reshape his midfield. Yeremy Pino is expected to arrive from Villarreal in a club-record deal, while Harvey Elliott remains a target as the Eagles seek to reinforce their attacking options. Palace’s recent 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest was overshadowed by fan protests over their exclusion from European competition, but on the pitch, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta have shown flashes of promise. Injuries to Cheick Doucoure, Matheus Franca, and Eddie Nketiah continue to limit Glasner’s rotation.



Tactically, Villa will look to dominate possession and exploit Palace’s transitional vulnerabilities. Emery’s 4-2-3-1 setup allows John McGinn and Youri Tielemans to control the midfield, while Malen and Ramsey—if not distracted by transfer speculation—can stretch Palace’s backline. Palace, on the other hand, may lean into a more reactive 3-4-2-1 shape, hoping to hit on the counter through Sarr’s pace and Mateta’s physicality. Marc Guehi remains a defensive anchor despite ongoing interest from top clubs, and his duel with Watkins could be decisive.

With both teams navigating early-season turbulence and key absences, the margins are likely to be thin. Villa’s home resilience and sharper midfield edge should give them the upper hand, but Palace’s attacking spark can’t be dismissed. Expect a cagey affair with moments of brilliance, and a 2-1 victory for Aston Villa feels like the most probable outcome—Watkins to score, Mateta to reply, and a late winner from a Villa substitute sealing the deal.

• Summary: Aston Villa is going head to head with Crystal Palace starting on 31 Aug 2025 at 18:00 UTC at Villa Park stadium, Birmingham city, England. The match is a part of the Premier League .