1–1 Full time Saturday 31 October

Our pick1–0Missed

Aston Villa’s attacking edge meets Fulham’s defensive resilience

Aston Villa have scored freely in recent matches but remain vulnerable at the back. Fulham arrive with a tighter defence, though their away attack has struggled to find goals.

📍 Villa Park

Preview written: Fri 30 Oct 02:08

All Matchday 9 matches Full head-to-head

Match report

Aston Villa and Fulham drew 1-1. Nicolas Jackson put Aston Villa ahead in the 39th minute, assisted by Johan Manzambi. Fulham equalised in the 64th minute through an own goal by Zion Suzuki, leaving the points shared. There were no red cards.

Fulham had more possession, 55% to Aston Villa’s 45%, and registered more shots on target, five to three. The teams recorded 14 and 16 total shots respectively, while expected goals were 2.23 for Fulham and 1.75 for Aston Villa. N. Jackson was the top-rated player, with a rating of 8.2. The 1-1 draw differed from the pre-match model’s predicted 1-0 Aston Villa win, with probabilities of 42% for a home win, 29% for a draw and 29% for an away win.

Goals

39'Nicolas Jackson · Johan Manzambi · Aston Villa
64'Zion Suzuki (o.g.) · Fulham

Cards

30'David Affengruber · Fulham
45+4'Calvin Bassey · Fulham
76'Matty Cash · Aston Villa
77'Tom Cairney · Fulham

Match stats

Aston VillaFulham

45%Possession55%

16Shots14

3Shots on target5

1.75Expected goals (xG)2.23

7Corners7

7Fouls12

2Offsides4

4Saves2

⭐ Top-rated player: N. Jackson (Aston Villa) 8.2

Ratings and statistics: API-Football.

Confirmed lineups

Aston Villa · 4-2-3-1

1Z. SuzukiG
2M. CashD
3V. LindelöfD
14Pau TorresD
22I. MaatsenD
8B. KamaraM
27L. GoretzkaM
47Alysson EdwardM
7J. McGinnM
44J. ManzambiM
11N. JacksonF

Coach: Unai Emery

Fulham · 4-2-3-1

1B. LenoG
21T. CastagneD
22D. AffengruberD
3C. BasseyD
33A. RobinsonD
16S. BergeM
19S. CharlesM
14Oscar BobbM
24Joshua KingM
17A. IwobiM
7Gonzalo GarcíaF

Coach: Álvaro Arbeloa

Match facts

Recent form

Aston VillaLWDWW

FulhamDDLWW

Last 5 league games, latest on the right

Goals per game

·	Scored	Conceded
Aston Villa	1.1	1.5
Fulham	1.0	1.3

League position

Pos	Team	P	GD	Pts
9	Aston Villa	8	-3	11
15	Fulham	8	-2	8

Last meetings

2026Fulham1-0Aston Villa
2025Aston Villa3-1Fulham
2025Aston Villa1-0Fulham
2024Fulham1-3Aston Villa
2024Fulham1-2Aston Villa

Absences

Aston Villa

OutA. Onana · Knee Injury
OutM. Ruggeri · Muscle Injury
OutA. Wan-Bissaka · Muscle Injury

Fulham

OutR. Sessegnon · Red Card
DoubtfulD. Affengruber · Injury
DoubtfulE. Smith Rowe · Injury

PreviaXI model

Aston Villa42%Draw29%Fulham29%

Model confidence: Open game

Predicted score: 1-0
Expected goals (model): 1.44 – 1.16
Double chance: 1X · 71%12 71% · X2 58%
Over 2.5 goals: 48%Over 1.5: 75% · Over 3.5: 26%
Both teams score: 54%
Clean sheet: 31% – 24%Aston Villa–Fulham
Half-time result: X · 43%1 32% · 2 25%
Half-time / full-time: 1/1 · 25%X/X 18% · 2/2 17%
Expected corners: 10.25.4 – 4.8 · Over 9.5: 56%
Expected cards: 4.11.4 – 2.7 · Over 3.5: 59%
Most likely scores: 1-114%
1-09%
0-09%
2-19%
2-08%

Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →

Villa chase consistency at home

Fulham travel to Birmingham sitting 15th in the Premier League on eight points after eight matches, three points behind ninth-placed Aston Villa. Villa have scored more often, but their defensive record is weaker: they have conceded 12 goals to Fulham’s 10. That contrast sets up the contest: Villa’s stronger attacking output against a Fulham side whose recent defensive work has been more convincing.

Villa’s attack, Fulham’s defence

Villa have scored nine goals across their last five matches, while Fulham have managed four. Yet the recent defensive figures point the other way: Fulham have conceded only three in that span, compared with Villa’s seven. Villa’s season record also shows a vulnerability at Villa Park, where they have conceded six goals in four games and are still without a home clean sheet.

Fulham’s away scoring is the concern. They have found the net only twice in four away league matches, averaging half a goal per game. Their overall form has improved after a run of losses, with two wins followed by two draws in the latest five-match sequence shown in the standings. Villa have also won two of their last five league matches, alongside a draw and two defeats.

Recent meetings favour Villa

Aston Villa have won four of the last five meetings, although Fulham took the most recent one, 1-0 in April. Villa also won 3-1 at home in September 2025, while the other three victories in this run were by a single goal. The recent history suggests a close game, with Villa holding the broader edge.

Suspensions and injury concerns

Villa are without A. Onana and M. Ruggeri through knee and muscle injuries respectively, while A. Wan-Bissaka is also listed out with a muscle injury. Fulham’s R. Sessegnon is suspended. D. Affengruber and E. Smith Rowe are injury doubts.

Fulham need to turn defence into goals

Fulham’s recent defensive solidity gives them a route to frustrate Villa, but their limited away scoring leaves little margin for error. Villa’s nine goals in five matches point to the greater attacking threat, even as their record of conceding regularly makes a clean sheet far from assured.

Our prediction

PreviaXI’s model leans towards Aston Villa, whose stronger attack and home advantage outweigh Fulham’s recent defensive resilience. The visitors’ low away scoring record makes it difficult to see them capitalising fully, so a narrow home win looks likely.

Aston Villa 1-0 Fulham

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