Match Overview

The 5th round match between Sunderland and Aston Villa will take place on September 21st at the Stadium of Light. This forecast offers a comprehensive prediction, odds analysis, and key statistics for the Sunderland vs Aston Villa encounter.

Sunderland Team Analysis

Sunderland’s Current Form

Regis Le Bris’s team has been a pleasant surprise so far, unexpectedly climbing to 7th place in the league table. The team makes the most of their home advantage, having defeated West Ham (3-0) and Brentford (2-1) this season. Away from home, the club has yet to score, but still managed to secure one point in the previous round, drawing with Crystal Palace (0-0).

Key Sunderland Statistics

• Prior to their last match, the club had not recorded a draw in the or Championship for 11 consecutive games (4 wins and 7 losses).
• Exactly two or three goals were scored in 4 of Sunderland’s last 5 matches across England’s top two divisions.
• At least one team failed to score in 7 of the club’s last 10 encounters in the and Championship.

Sunderland’s Expected Line-up (4-3-3)*

Sunderland’s Probable Starting XI

Robin Roefs – Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete, Reinildo Mandava, Tray Ham – Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Habib Diarra – Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra, Wilson Isidor.

Aston Villa Team Analysis

Aston Villa’s Recent Struggles

The Birmingham side has been the biggest disappointment at the start of the championship campaign. The team has suffered two defeats and recorded goalless draws with Newcastle and Everton. As a result, with only two points, they find themselves in the relegation zone. Interestingly, the club has failed to score in five consecutive matches. Moreover, Aston Villa also lost to Brentford on penalties in the League Cup during the week.

Key Aston Villa Statistics

• The club’s winless streak in the league currently stands at 5 matches (2 draws and 3 losses).
• At least one team failed to score in Aston Villa’s last 8 games.
• No more than two goals were scored in 7 of the Birmingham side’s last 8 encounters.

Aston Villa’s Expected Line-up (5-3-2)*

Aston Villa’s Probable Starting XI

Emiliano Martinez – Lamar Bogarde, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash, Lucas Digne, Ezri Konsa – Emiliano Buendia, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans – Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers.

Team News and Absentees

Midfielders Boubacar Kamara and Ross Barkley, along with defender Andres Garcia, will miss the match due to injuries.

Match Referee

Official in Charge

Sam Barrott (England)

Referee Statistics

Matches – 25 (, 2024/25–2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 118;

Average yellow cards per match – 4.7;

Red cards shown – 1;

Average fouls per match – 21;

Penalties awarded – 24%.

Match Prediction: Sunderland vs Aston Villa

Analysis of Team Performance

Ahead of this fixture, the hosts were widely expected to be among the bottom three, while the visitors were tipped for a European qualification spot. However, after four matchdays, the situation has dramatically reversed: Sunderland is unexpectedly close to the top of the table, while the Birmingham side finds itself in the bottom three. I anticipate that Unai Emery’s squad will struggle to turn their fortunes around, especially considering they’ve only managed two points despite a relatively favorable fixture list.

Home Advantage for Sunderland

Regis Le Bris’s men will be aiming to extract the maximum possible from their home matches. So far, the team has successfully dealt with mid-table sides and struggling teams in the at their stadium. It will be intriguing to see how they perform against teams competing in European competitions from the . Currently, Sunderland boasts two home wins and five goals scored in the . In contrast, Aston Villa has failed to win or even score in three consecutive away games.

Our Main Prediction

My prediction is “Sunderland win or draw” with odds of 1.72

Line-up Disclaimer

* The starting line-up for each team is based on their previous match in this tournament.