Score Predictions: Can Sunderland Grab Victory At Villa?

‘The Champion’ **Malc Dugdale predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 0 Sunderland 0***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: N/A*** After scrapping to two wins in a row I think the Lads will be happy with an away draw today. Villa are in a rich vein of form and anything other than a loss at Villa Park would be a great top up to the six points taken from the Mags and Spurs. Park the bus, Régis, and let’s head home with seven from nine and keep the charge for the fringes of Europe going. Better than that and we’re really shooting for Europe!

**Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 1 Sunderland 2***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey*** After completing a back to back wins over the Mags and the ‘Mags of the South’, we come up against tough opposition in Aston Villa. They’re flying high in fourth place after another impressive season — although just a solitary win in their last five gives us some reason for hope. This coupled with their Thursday night European action will mean tired legs and tired minds. The lads will be full of beans, and I think they can go to Villa Park without fear. Yes, they’re clearly a good side but we’ve played plenty of them this season and it’s rare that we’re bowled over. We’ll snatch it with some physical play and take another three points to help our outside chance of European football next season.

**Will Jones predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 1 Sunderland 1***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chemsdine Talbi*** A tough away trip but one we can get something from. Both teams need the win to keep their respective European dreams alive. Villa will more than likely have more of the ball and carry a big threat — especially at home — but hopefully their game on Thursday has tired them out. I believe that if we’re at the races and organised, we can keep it tight and make it frustrating. Talbi to nick ours, and a point would do nicely to keep us ticking over.

**Matty Foster predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 2 Sunderland 1***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey*** After back-to-back wins against the Hosts and Spurs, we face a strong Villa side, flying in the league and Europe. They have aspirations to potentially finish in the top three, so have lots to play for. I reckon we’ll make it tough for them, especially with tired legs from the European escapades. A point would be one to be savoured; however, I do think they’ll have too much for us today. We just have to give the best account of ourselves and whatever will be will be.

**Anthony Gair predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 0 Sunderland 2***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey*** Bad news, everyone: I’m feeling positive this week. I think we’re riding the crest of a Derby win wave, and Villa aren’t at their best. We’ve timed playing them very well this season, and we’ll wallop them — giving *Sky Sports News* something to talk about. This is the game where people actually start to take notice of what we’re capable of, and that puts us sixth in the table. Champions League, here we come!

**Gary Winter predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 1 Sunderland 1***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey*** With the return of Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele and Reinildo, I quite fancy us to get a result at Villa, as they gave us a proper foundation again against Spurs. Villa are in a poor patch of form in the league and are hopefully a little jaded from their Europa League quarter-final second leg on Thursday night. Also, we’ve had quite a decent record over the years at Villa Park and were really quite comfortable against a struggling Spurs side who really should’ve shown more, given the trouble they’re in. Brobbey was an absolute nightmare for Spurs to deal with last weekend. I expect more of the same, and he can get a goal for us on the road. I wouldn’t be surprised if we stole three points here, but I’m going conservative and would happily take one.

**Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…**

***Score prediction: Villa 1 Sunderland 1***

***Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée*** A peek behind the curtain: we need to get these in before 7:00pm Thursday an hour before Villa play their quarter-final. Hopefully it’s gone to extra time and they’ve a load of injuries (No such luck, Brett!). Whatever happens, this will be a tough one. They’ve had a great season and are pushing to get into the Champions League — either via Europe or the league — and as it stands, could do both. We’ll go into the match with a spring in our step having beaten the Mags and Spurs, but let’s be honest: they’re crap and my daughter’s U11 team would give them a good game — and they only play nine-a-side! Spurs are also rubbish and will be playing Championship football next season. A point would be a great result in my eyes, and Le Fée will be the man to get us off the mark.

**Last time** out…

It was another three points on International Fans’ Day Weekend. against a Spurs side that didn’t really step up to the level that was needed given their situation. Although the goal which decided it was the result of a deflection, there was only one team who it seemed would win — even if narrowly — and that was The Lads. A much-deserved win in front of fans we all shared beers with on Friday after travelling the world to see the beloved red and white wizards. A great notch for Nordi Mukiele too, who I’m told is likely to be the best-scoring defender on ‘Fantasy League’ if he carries on like this. What a find.

**Last game** predictions…

Five of the lads went for a win but only Matty got the score bang on and nobody went for Mukiele to get the winner, which isn’t a massive shock. Nothing for Will, Gary or Anth, who went for a draw or worse. Hindsight says they are miles off, but who would’ve said in July that we would take four from six against Spurs, and we really may have won at their place too. Crazy season, this!

**Predictions** table and standings

Malc extends his lead to two points at the top, and at the other end, our Anth was grafting so hard he submitted his prediction late twice in a month, so he ended up two points worse off — way may tag him ‘Gair Wednesday’ going forward. Matty’s three-pointer pulled him into level fifth and Anth is now needing a Spurs-esque escape plan to win anything other than the wooden spoon.

**How the points are awarded**

Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• **Correct score = Three points**
• **Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point**
• **Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)**
• **Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.**