Leeds v Aston Villa predictions: Vibrant Villa can stay on the winning trail

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Leeds United v Aston Villa in the Premier League on Thursday.

Where to watch

Amazon Prime Video, 7.45pm Thursday

Best bet

Aston Villa draw no bet
1pt 10-11 Betfred

Team news

Leeds
Patrick Bamford returned to the bench for the 1-0 loss at Leicester but Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips are sidelined. Diego Llorente (muscle strain) and Adam Forshaw (fatigue) could return.

Aston Villa
Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa (both positive COVID-19 tests) are back in contention after missing out at the weekend but Marvelous Nakamba remains unavailable.

Match preview

Aston Villa continue to make encouraging progress under Steven Gerrard and they can move into the top half of the Premier League table by beating relegation-threatened Leeds at Elland Road.

Gerrard has had a few ups and downs in the Villa dugout but his team have amassed 23 points in 15 games to climb away from the relegation scrap and into the realms of mid-table security.

Villa's revival has probably come too late for them to challenge for European qualification but they are heading in the right direction and head to Yorkshire full of confidence after Saturday's thumping 4-0 success at home to previously in-form Southampton.

Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings and Philippe Coutinho were among the scorers at the weekend – prompting Gerrard to describe them as "unplayable" - and the Villa front three pose an obvious danger to a Leeds side anxious to ease their considerable relegation fears.

Leeds were much improved in Saturday's 1-0 loss at Leicester, their first outing under new manager Jesse Marsch, but the result left them just two points above the drop zone.

Marsch's team need to add some potency to their encouraging approach play, and help could be on the horizon with key striker Patrick Bamford closing in on a first-team return.

Bamford returned to the squad at the weekend, but he was an unused substitute, and it would be asking a lot for him to start against Villa after more than three months on the sidelines.

With centre-back Liam Cooper and key midfielder Kalvin Phillips also on the comeback trail, there should be a much stronger Leeds spine in place for the all important run-in.

However, for now, the Yorkshire side remain short on confidence and quality and those deficiencies could be exposed by a Villa team on a mission to finish as high as possible.

Key stat

Leeds have lost their last five matches.

Inside info

Leeds

Penalty taker Raphinha
Free-kick wizard Raphinha
Set-piece aerial threat Pascal Struijk
Card magnet Junior Firpo

Aston Villa

Penalty taker Danny Ings
Free-kick wizardPhilippe Coutinho
Set-piece aerial threatEzri Konsa
Card magnetJohn McGinn

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