Big Match Breakdown: Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers

Odds and preview for tonight’s game

The weekend’s Championship action kicks off tonight with a crunch match at Villa Park. Out-of-sorts pair Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers are both in need of a big result.

New Villa boss Dean Smith is bidding to kick-start the new era following successive defeats. Meanwhile, the Trotters need a morale-boosting result after one point from five games.

Ahead of kick-off in the West Midlands, we’ve got the odds and info in the latest Big Match Breakdown.

Head-to-Head

The pair have met 163 times up to now, with the first ever clash coming way back in 1888. And there’s been little to separate them over history, with Villa winning 64 times to Bolton’s 60.

The North-West outfit have had the better of the fixture in recent times, though. Bolton have won four of the last six head-to-heads, including a 1-0 victory last time the sides faced off in March 2018.

Likely XIs

Villa have consistently gone with a back four this season, but it’s been harder to predict beyond that.

Smith seems to like a 4-1-4-1 at present, so Mile Jedinak could revive his holding-midfield role behind an attacking quartet including Jack Grealish and Conor Hourihane.

Bolton tend towards a 4-2-3-1 under boss Phil Parkinson. Josh Magennis has been their best performer this term. And he’s likely to lead the line again – ahead of an advanced midfield trio of Yanic Wildschut, Erhun Oztumer and Will Buckley.

Key Battles