Four days after falling 1-0 to Arsenal at Villa Park, Aston Villa head to Hull knowing their Premier League season is already heading in the wrong direction. Two games played, zero points earned, five goals conceded and none scored: Unai Emery’s side have lost both of their opening matches and find themselves in early relegation trouble to start the season. Hull City, by contrast, have won both of their opening fixtures, including a 2-0 dismantling of Manchester United at the MKM Stadium, and will be looking to make it three from three in front of their home support.
What’s at stake
Hull City are third in the Premier League with six points from two matches, level with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top. That places them firmly in Champions League qualification territory through the standings description, though Chelsea are breathing down their necks in fourth on the same points total. A third straight win would send a genuine statement of intent from a side many expected to spend the season battling the drop after promotion.
For Aston Villa, the arithmetic is uncomfortable this early. A third consecutive defeat would leave them pointless after three rounds while teams around them begin to pull away. The gap between 19th and the relative safety of mid-table could widen considerably, and the goal difference column already reads -5. A win for Emery’s side, on the other hand, would breathe air back into a dressing room that has looked fragile in both of its competitive outings so far.
How they got here
Hull’s last five competitive results read: win at Coventry (1-0), draw with Stoke in the League Cup (1-1), win over Manchester United at home (2-0), and two pre-season friendlies before that. Their only dropped points across all competitions came in a cup tie at Stoke. In the Premier League specifically, they have kept two clean sheets and scored three times. Villa’s recent run tells a different story: they have lost five consecutive matches across all competitions, including a 4-0 hammering at Brighton on matchday one, the 0-1 home defeat to Arsenal, and a pre-season loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.
Hull sit third in the Premier League, level on six points with the top two. Aston Villa are 19th, one place above the bottom with the same goal difference as clubs already cut adrift. The contrast in early-season trajectory is stark: Hull have conceded nothing in the league, Villa have failed to score in either of their two top-flight appearances.
Key battle to watch
Villa’s midfield, which looked overrun in both defeats, will face a Hull engine room that includes Liam Gourna-Douath and Hiroki Morita. Leon Goretzka and João Gomes are available for Emery in the center of the park, but their partnership has yet to show any real cohesion this season. If Hull’s midfield can win the second balls and transition quickly, Villa’s back line, which has already been carved open five times in two games, will be under serious pressure from a Hull attack that includes Joe Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Hull have the form, the home crowd and the confidence that comes from back-to-back clean sheets. Aston Villa have not scored in either Premier League match and are travelling with a defence that has shipped five goals in two games. Expect Hull to control long stretches of this contest; Villa may find one from somewhere given the attacking talent in their squad, but the hosts look the more likely side to take three points.
Aston Villa
Hull City