Brighton vs Aston Villa Predictions

• Brighton have won their last three league games at the Amex Stadium.
• Both teams have scored in nine of the Seagulls’ last 12 home league outings.
• Aston Villa have won just two of their last ten league away matches.

Seagulls can recover from cup disappointment

Brighton and Aston Villa experienced different emotions in last week’s FA Cup ties, but both are in the thick of an intense battle for a top-four spot in the Premier League and that should ensure an intriguing clash at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday.

Villa are already dining at European football’s top table and have a quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain to look forward to, but while the Seagulls were frustrated by a tight Nottingham Forest defence in the cup on Saturday, they can bounce back from their shootout-defeat disappointment.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side have lost just twice in the league at the Amex this season and tasted success in their last three home clashes against Chelsea, Fulham and Bournemouth, all of whom have their eyes on a top-four finish and they look to just have the edge over their visitors from the Midlands.

Villa still finding their feet on the road

It is true that Unai Emery’s team have hardly put a foot wrong in recent weeks, winning their last five matches, but only one of those successes came in the Premier League, as they have seen off Championship Cardiff and Preston as well as winning both legs of their Champions League last-16 tie with Belgians Club Brugge.

They did win their last away league game at Brentford, but their only other success in their last ten Premier League outings on the road came at Everton when the returning David Moyes had hardly got his feet under the table.

So they still have a bit to prove that they are not back to their old travel-sick ways having conceded at least twice in eight of their last ten road games, so correct-score punting enthusiasts are pointed towards a 2-1 home success.

Joao Pedro is chief home goal threat

While Forest’s stubborn rearguard could not be penetrated on Saturday, Joao Pedro looks the player most likely to find the net for Brighton in Wednesday’s showdown.

He had three attempts without finding the net in their last league game, a 2-2 draw at Manchester City, and that performance came after goals in three successive league outings against Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham, so it would not be a shock if he rediscovered his scoring touch.