Cardiff vs Aston Villa Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Villa’s failure to see off Leeds last week puts pressure on them to deliver maximum points here as they bid to close the gap on the top six. With Cardiff not enjoying a good season, particularly on their own ground, the visitors certainly look the more likely victors.

Even since the arrival of Steve Bruce, Villa haven’t been playing the sort of football, that you might expect given the amount of attacking quality in their squad. They have however been getting results on a much more consistent basis and when faced with the weaker sides, they’ve generally had the edge. They’ve won their last five matches against bottom half clubs and were victorious in their most recent away game at QPR which could prove a useful psychological tool going into this game which is likely to be a similar kind of challenge.

Perhaps it’s too soon to confidently back Villa to win on the road but given only Brighton have lost fewer games than them in the Championship this year, the Birmingham club look to represent value in the ‘Draw No Bet’ and Asian Handicap markets here. They’ve also had four days to prepare for this game so tiredness shouldn’t be a factor and they have several players capable of coming in and not necessarily weakening the team and that could be key during this busy festive schedule.

January is going to be a big month for Cardiff who could seriously do with some new recruits to help push them clear of the relegation scrap. They’ve been tougher to beat since Neil Warnock took charge but they are still vulnerable at the back. They’ve managed just one clean sheet in their last 14 home matches which strongly suggests Villa will find at least one goal here. Even under Warnock they’ve lost to the likes of Wigan and Barnsley at home so they still have issues to address when playing on their own patch.

Given that Steve Bruce’s side will certainly be targeting maximum points and if they can avoid individual errors at the back, Villa should be able to cope with most of what Cardiff will throw at them. Therefore backing Aston Villa Draw No Bet at 8/11 looks like a decent bet here.