Barnsley vs Aston Villa Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

Aston Villa come into this game down in 17th place and are already 7 points off the top six. However, with 37 games to go there is still plenty of time to turn things around and there is enough quality in the side to suggest they will put a strong run together at some stage. They’ll be hoping their late equaliser against Newcastle on Saturday will act as a turning point in their season. Aaron Tshibola’s 88th minute header meant it was 4 straight draws for Villa but unlike several of their recent draws when they’ve conceded late goals, they at least ended strongly and may even have won the game in stoppage time when Newcastle were really hanging on.

The Birmingham side might just feel they are heading to Barnsley at a good time too. The Tykes had made a fantastic start to life back in the Championship and were scoring lots of goals but come into this game following successive defeats and the fear might just be that their bubble has been burst. Their 2-0 defeat at Brighton on Saturday was the first time they’d failed to score this season in any competition and they were beaten 2-1 by 10 man Reading in their most recent home game.

Matches at Oakwell have tended to produce plenty of goals in recent times. There have been over 2.5 goals in 7 of Barnsley’s last 8 home games and the Yorkshire club remain the top scorers in the Championship with 19 goals, despite those last 2 defeats. They do though have the worst defensive record in the top half and are up against a Villa side that has lots of attacking quality. Even with Ross McCormack injured and Jack Grealish left out, Villa still had the luxury of leaving Rudy Gestede, a proven goalscorer in this league, on the bench at the weekend.

The visitors have plenty of players capable of exposing an unconvincing Barnsley defence but have been making too many mistakes at the back themselves so far this term so all things considered backing Over 2.5 Goals at 19/20 looks to offer value here.