Aston Villa return to Villa Park on Sunday afternoon, looking to keep their unlikely Premier League title charge on track as Brentford visit the West Midlands.
The Villans head into the clash buoyed by a statement win last weekend, while Brentford arrive searching for a response after a rare home defeat.
Villa have rediscovered momentum after a brief January wobble, and home form continues to be a major pillar of their push at the top end of the table.
However, Brentford’s recent resurgence and attacking threat ensure this will be a stern examination of Villa’s credentials.
After a surprise home slip-up earlier this month, Aston Villa have steadied the ship with three consecutive victories across all competitions.
A dramatic Europa League comeback against Red Bull Salzburg in midweek underlined their resilience.
Unai Emery’s side is just four points off the summit. Villa Park has been a fortress this season. Only two teams in the league boast better home records.
Meanwhile, Brentford are eager to avoid a third straight defeat for the first time since December.
Their momentum has stalled, but Keith Andrews’ side remains eighth and firmly in the European conversation.
The Bees’ away form has been inconsistent overall, but recent wins on the road suggest they remain a dangerous proposition.
Aston Villa have collected 25 points from 11 Premier League home matches this season, the third-best return in the division.
Brentford have lost just two league games at home all campaign, but only four sides possess a worse away record than the London club.
Igor Thiago has scored 16 Premier League goals this season, the most ever by a Brazilian in a single top-flight campaign. The Villans must be wary of him.
Villa will be eager to avenge the 1-0 loss to Brentford earlier this season. Before that, they hadn’t beaten the Villains in the league in six attempts.
Villa suffered an injury scare in midweek as Ollie Watkins was forced off with a suspected hamstring issue and remains a doubt pending further assessment.
Tammy Abraham, signed for £18.25 million, is set for a second debut following his January return.
With Boubacar Kamara ruled out for the season, and John McGinn also sidelined, Villa are limited in the engine room.
Douglas Luiz is in line to start after rejoining the club, while Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa are expected to form the centre-back pairing after Tyrone Mings’ costly error in Europe.
Emiliano Buendia’s recent form should see him retain his place, with Emery likely to resist wholesale changes despite a demanding schedule.
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