Crystal Palace v Aston Villa predictions: Visitors could punish fading Palace

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Crystal Palace v Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, midday Sunday

Best bet

Draw-Aston Villa double result
1pt 5-1 bet365

Team news

Crystal Palace
Mamadou Sakho, Wayne Hennessey and Nathan Ferguson are sidelined and Patrick van Aanholt is a doubt. James Tomkins (eye) may return.

Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins returns after serving a one-match ban. Jack Grealish is pushing for a start after his substitute appearance against Everton. Trezeguet and Morgan Sanson are out.

Match preview

Ten-man Aston Villa produced a stirring second-half display in their 3-0 Boxing Day win over Crystal Palace and it could be a similar story in the reverse fixture.

There is little riding on the game with Villa in 11th place and Palace safe from relegation despite losing four of their last five matches.

According to most xG models, the Eagles are flattered by a tally of 41 points and Roy Hodgson, who has refused to comment on speculation that he is set to retire, will want to avoid a repeat of last season when they took just one point from their final eight games.

Hodgson's men lost 3-1 at struggling Southampton on Tuesday despite taking a second-minute lead through Christian Benteke.

Palace faded in the second half, not for the first time, and the draw-Villa double result is a tempting bet.

The Eagles have been level at half-time in three of their last five defeats and one of the exceptions was last month's 2-1 loss at Leicester where they led at the break.

They have scored 16 goals and conceded 35 in the second half of matches this term and Villa could find openings as the game goes on especially if Jack Grealish comes off the bench again.

Grealish returned from injury as a sub in Thursday's goalless draw with Everton and Villa can also welcome back top scorer Ollie Watkins after a one-match ban.

In Villa's last two wins, against Fulham (3-1) and Everton (2-1), they scored four goals in the 78th minute or later and they also nabbed an injury-time equaliser at West Brom last month.

Key stat

Crystal Palace's second-half goal difference this season is -19 compared with -3 in the first half.

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