Premier League football betting - Aston Villa vs Everton

Aston Villa continue their fading challenge for fourth place tonight as they host mid-table Everton in the Premier League. Martin O`Neill`s side are looking to be the ones to break up the `big four` monopoly on Champions League qualification from England but have seen their hopes diminish as a string of poor results has left them eight points behind Manchester City, albeit with a game in hand. Everton are currently eighth in the table and harbour no real hopes of finishing any higher this season.

The hosts are favourites for the game at 11/8 (bet £8 to win £11 profit) with SkyBet, leaving Everton as underdogs at 7/3, with the draw at 12/5. Both sides have two wins from their last five league games but Villa`s confidence will be shaken after losing 7-1 and 3-0 to Chelsea in the space of three games and it is worth noting that they have not beaten a team in the top half of the table since December. Everton are unbeaten in their last six but will be disappointed to have managed only draws against Wolves and West Ham in their last two outings.

The teams last met in October, with the game finishing 1-1, and the bookmakers offer 6/1 that today`s match finishes the same way. A 1-0 win for Villa is 7/1 with Ladbrokes, followed by 2-1 at 9/1 with SkyBet, and the same price is generally available on both 0-0 and 1-0 to Everton. Last time Everton travelled to Villa Park the game finished 3-3 and a repeat of that excitement is available at 80/1.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has been made favourite to open the scoring tonight at 6/1, followed by Norwegian forward John Carew at 13/2 with Stan James and England hopeful Emile Heskey at 8/1 with Bet365. Louis Saha, Everton`s best hope of drawing first blood, is generally 13/2 with Nigerian Yakubu at 7/1 and goal-scoring midfielder Tim Cahill priced at 9/1.

Aston Villa are 3/1 with Victor Chandler to lead tonight at both half-time and full-time and generally 9/2 to win the match after drawing at the half-way stage. The bookmakers offer 4/1 that both halves are drawn and Everton are 5/1 to be in front at both the interval and the final whistle. Draw/Everton is available at 13/2.

Neither side will be overjoyed with how their season has worked out but Villa could still make it into the Champions League, with Ladbrokes offering 14/1 that they finish ahead of Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool.

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