Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace preview: Remi Garde hopes to reunite pitiful Villans with first home win of the season

A look ahead to the Premier League fixture at Villa Park

A view outside Villa Park (GETTY IMAGES)

It’s a big game for…

Fraizer Campbell: Crystal Palace haven’t scored in their last three Premier League games, and their entire strike-force boasts only 1 goal between them this season so far. Campbell will be eager to silence the critics and hope that a positive contribution dismisses speculation that Palace manager Alan Pardew is in the market for a new striker.

Best stat…

Aston Villa haven’t beaten Crystal Palace at home in the Premier League since March 1998, where Savo Milosevic scored a brace to secure a 3-1 win. Albeit Aston Villa have been a mainstay in the Premier League since its induction, and Palace have been fluctuating through the leagues until recent times; Villa haven’t beaten them at Villa Park in their last three league meetings.

Remember when…

Darren Ambrose scored a 37-yard free kick for Palace in the FA Cup 5^th Round to make it 2-1 against Villa in the 2009/10 season. Ambrose’s screamer ultimately meant nothing as Villa equalised to force the tie to a replay, which they won 3-1.

Player to watch…

Jordan Ayew: The Ghanaian returns from suspension after missing Villa’s 3-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Sunderland in their last Premier League outing. With five goals in fifteen games, Ayew is Villa’s top scorer so far – and is undoubtedly their main hope for securing the three points they so desperately need.

Past three meetings…

Crystal Palace 2 (Dann, Sako) Aston Villa 1 (Souare OG), Premier League, August 2015

Aston Villa 0 Crystal Palace 0, Premier League, January 2015

Crystal Palace 0 Aston Villa 1 (Benteke), Premier League, December 2014

Form guide:

Aston Villa: DLDDLL

Crystal Palace: DWWDDL

Vital information:

Kick-off time: 7:45pm

TV: Highlights on MOTD, Wednesday 13^th Jan, BBC1 10:45PM