Villarreal vs Espanyol Predictions

• Villarreal have gone 10 games without a clean sheet
• Both teams have scored in four of Espanyol’s last six
• Villarreal have lost just two of their 11 home La Liga games

Out of form European contenders clash at El Madrigal

Two top four rivals meet in La Liga on Monday as Villarreal entertain Espanyol.

Villarreal sit fourth and have a seven-point lead over Real Betis going into this round of fixtures, with Espanyol a point further back in sixth place.

Both of these teams have hit rough patches, however, as Villarreal are winless in six across all competitions and Espanyol have just one point to show from their last five La Liga games.

Both defences have been struggling and on that basis backing both teams to score looks a strong option for our main bet. Villarreal have gone 10 games across all competitions without a clean sheet and both teams have scored in four of Espanyol’s last six games, and they have conceded in all of those.

Villarreal have lost four of their last five at home but two of those games were European fixtures in what was an abysmal Champions League campaign. The Yellow Submarine have only lost twice at home this season in La Liga and those defeats came against Barcelona and Real Madrid, so the visit of Espanyol does provide an opportunity for the hosts to end their slump.

Villarreal have eight wins in 11 home La :Liga games and can grind out a win here, with 2-1 looking a reasonable prediction as they score on average just over two goals per-game at El Madrigal.

Gerard Moreno scored both of Villarreal’s goals in the 2-2 draw with Osasuna last time out and has three goals in his last four league games. The 33-year-old looks a contender for an anytime effort on Monday.