English Premier
2026-04-19 - Aston Villa vs Sunderland
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 19th April 2026 - Kick Off 2pm
This game is live on TV
Aston Villa
The big win in the Europa League Quarter Final First Leg meant Aston Villa were returning to Villa Park with complete control of the tie. Unai Emery still picked a strong team to avoid any unnecessary drama and his players responded by thumping Bologna in front of the supporters and maintaining the momentum that has been picked up to take into the final weeks of the season.
For a generation of Aston Villa fans, this season promises to be the most memorable they will have seen with a potential trophy to add to a top five Premier League finish and a return to the Champions League. It is vital for Aston Villa to have that financial boost in order to continue progressing under Unai Emery's guidance and they have a 7 point lead over 6th placed Chelsea going into the weekend. The Villans will be focusing on improving the 10-2-4 record produced at Villa Park in the English top flight.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in the last 5 games in all competitions and they have won 4 of those fixtures to rebuild any shattered confidence. The win over Bologna on Thursday makes it 3 straight at Villa Park in all competitions and Aston Villa have kept clean sheets in each of those victories.
The squad is about as healthy as could be hoped with Boubacar Kamara out for the season. Some changes may be made to freshen up the starting eleven, but the likes of Morgan Rogers, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins all earned early rest on Thursday.
Sunderland
Wins either side of the March international break have reignited hopes of playing in European Football for Sunderland, while there is an outside chance they could yet be involved in the Champions League. That would be a massive achievement for a newly promoted club, although most Sunderland fans would already consider this a successful season having retained top flight status.
Others will be looking to at least hold bragging rights over rivals Newcastle United by finishing above them in the standings, but Regis Le Bris and the squad will be focusing on each game as it comes as Sunderland look to build on recent wins. The Black Cats are 10th in the Premier League table, but just 2 points behind 6th placed Chelsea and that could yet be another Champions League place on offer for Premier League clubs.
Sunderland have not only been beaten in just 1 of the last 5 Premier League games played, but they have won 3 of the last 4 including an away win at Newcastle United before the March international break. They were disappointingly beaten at Vale Park in the FA Cup Fifth Round, but Sunderland have won consecutive away Premier League games ahead of this fixture.
A few key players used the three week gap between games to shake off injuries and return to the squad and both Dan Ballard and Nilson Angulo will be hoping to rejoin this weekend.
Head to Head
Despite playing with ten men after just 33 minutes, Sunderland battled to a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light earlier this season.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in 6 when hosting Sunderland, but 4 of those have ended in draws.
However, the most recent fixture in November 2017 ended in a 2-1 win for the home team at Villa Park.
Prediction
So much credit has to be given to Regis Le Bris and the Sunderland recruitment team for the way they have managed to bring in a lot of new faces in the summer transfer window and coach them up for the Premier League level.
The manager has certainly raised his profile, but that could still climb if Sunderland are able to push their way into the European places come the end of the season.
They are certainly in a position to do that and 3 wins in the last 4 Premier League games means this is a team playing with real confidence and belief. Sunderland have continued to be pretty good defensively in the main, but they have found a threat in the final third and the last away Premier League game ended in a memorable win at St James' Park.
Much respect has to be given to Sunderland, but they are visiting the home of a surging Aston Villa team.
Unai Emery's team may not have been able to maintain a title charge through the middle of the campaign, but the manager did feel his squad were hit hard by injury. Those have cleared up at a very good time with Aston Villa pushing for a top five finish in the Premier League and having reached the Semi Final of the Europa League.
Everything suggests a memorable conclusion to the season is coming up, but Emery's experience means he will not want his team to take the foot off the gas.
Aston Villa had just begun to find it difficult playing in front of the home supporters, but in the large part of the Unai Emery era, Villa Park has been a fortress.
The side have just won 3 in a row here in all competitions and Aston Villa have kept clean sheets in each of those, while also finding plenty of balance in the attacking third having scored 8 goals across those wins. Ollie Watkins has rediscovered some of his form as he looks to push back into the England squad ahead of the World Cup and Aston Villa's squad looks happy and settled.
Playing on Thursday and then Sunday is tough, especially against a well rested and well organised Sunderland team, but the latter will give up some opportunities.
At the moment Aston Villa have just found their composure in the final third, which makes them very dangerous, and this could be an important three points towards another top five Premier League finish.
The underlying numbers have shown the qualities that Aston Villa are bringing in the final third and the feeling is that they will have a little too much for a tough Sunderland team, but one that has given up some decent looks for attacking players in recent outings without being punished.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Aston Villa 2-0 Sunderland
