The Villains are thus rooted to the bottom of the league table, 11 points short of safety, and they have only won two of 24 matches this term in all competitions. You don’t get as exhausted when you win games.
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Villa have had a bad 2015-16 campaign, winning only once from 20 league games to sit bottom of the table, while captain Micah Richards clashed with supporters after they were held to a draw by League Two Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup last time out.
They are one point below West Ham.
Villa Park will be full on Tuesday night and the Villa faithful will be there in their numbers supporting their side, I’m just not sure their team are good enough to beat a team of Crystal Palace’s quality right now. Attackers Gabriel Agbonlahor and Jack Grealish are doubtful for the hosts. Then in the FA Cup at Southampton they looked much more like the team which is challenging for a European place this season with a strong display and a win which continues their superb record on the road under boss Alan Pardew.
In nine games under Garde Villa have four draws and five losses, simply put that is relegation form unless they can turn some of those draws into wins.
Yohan Cabaye suffered a knock in that away win but is likely to shake it off and start but Dwight Gayle and Yannick Bolasie are both sidelined.
James McArthur of Crystal Palace.
Injuries to a couple of key players hampered Crystal Palace’s attacking threat over the festive period, and although they made the better start against Chelsea they faded away badly after falling behind and ended up on the end of a comprehensive defeat.
Who will come out on top in the battle of the managers Rémi Garde or Alan Pardew?
Villa are now on a 19-game winless run in the Premier League (D5 L14); the joint-fourth longest run in Premier League history (alongside Nottingham Forest in 1998-99).
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Aston Villa host Crystal Palace on Tuesday January 12 for the game at Villa Park and the match carries a 7.45pm kick off.
