David Moyes and Tony O'Neill have both stated that they will settle for nothing less than 3 points from their midweek match-up at Villa Park. 5th Place in the Premiership earns a guaranteed spot in next season's
Europa League and both managers have their sights set on rising from their current positions of 7th and 8th.
Aston Villa have 54 points and are just 4 points behind 5th placed Tottenham Hotspur. Everton got off to a rough start this season and are 6 points behind Spurs. Manchester City's incredible form should put the top four positions out of reach, but expect both managers to be gunning for that 5th spot with 6 league games left to go.
Aston Villa may be without a certain self-confidence after being hammered by Chelsea both in the FA Cup and the Premier League. The Blues handed the Villans a 7-1 defeat in their 2nd to last league match and repeated the performance this weekend with a 3-0 win in the FA Cup. This was the 2nd time Villa were knocked out of competition at Wembley Stadium, the first being in February when Manchester United defeated them in the Carling Cup final. They got some solace from a 1-0 away victory against nearby Bolton Wanderers, but
Martin ONeill '
knows his side will need a jumpstart if they are to have anything to show for this season. Indeed, his job may depend on it.
After crashing out of the Europa League against Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon,
David Moyes will be keen to return his team to European contention for the 4th consecutive season.
Everton are remarkably on a 10 match unbeaten streak at home in the Premiership. 7 of those games were wins and often with multiple goal difference. Their away form has been less consistent but they have shown signs of improvement recently. They are unbeaten in the last 3 away matches, with an important 2-0 victory against top four rivals Manchester City. Showing signs of improvement both in confidence and quality, expect the Toffees to be the more energetic side on Wednesday night as they face another contender for the top five positions.
Aston Villa vs Everton FC
Wednesday 14 April, 2010
Kickoff: 8:45 PM (CET)
Venue: Villa Park (Birmingham)
Tip: Everton +0 (Asian Handicap)
Best Odds: 2.34 @ Tipico
