Aston Villa vs Lille Predictions

• Under 2.5 goals has landed in 11 of Lille’s last 16 games in all competitions.
• Lille lost three of their four league phase away games.
• Lille have lost 1-0 five times already this season.

Villa with the advantage

Unai Emery and the Europa League is one of modern football’s biggest love affairs and the Spaniard moved one step closer to a fifth title by guiding his Aston Villa side to a 1-0 win over Lille in this year’s round of 16.

The Villans followed that with a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League and their domestic form leaves plenty to be desired recently, losing four of their last five non-European encounters.

Emery’s men remain in fourth in the Premier League thanks to their strong start to the campaign but it would be no surprise to see them focus on the Europa League, a competition that they are outright favourites to win.

Cagey affair likely

Lille picked up a 2-1 win over Rennes at the weekend but they have really struggled in front of goal in the second half of this season and a low-scoring affair looks likely at Villa Park.

11 of the French side’s last 16 games have gone under 2.5 goals and Villa have hardly been free-flowing going forwards themselves so take a repeat of that in this second leg.

There were only four shots on target in the entirety of the first game and Villa could nullify their visitors. Correct score backers may fancy a repeat of the 1-0 win from the first leg, the hosts have won by that scoreline six times already this term.