Brighton vs Aston Villa Prediction and Betting Tips: 17/4 and 11/1 bets for Amex duel

Champions League chasing Aston Villa look to bounce back from midweek European disappointment when they go up against Brighton in the first of two televised Sunday fixtures this bank holiday weekend.

Villa have been generally good at avoiding European hangovers, but the sour taste of Thursday's 4-2 defeat to Olympiacos may still linger come 2pm on Sunday. The thumping 6-1 win at Villa Park over the Seagulls, however, is likely to both comfort and persuade them of another three points against this opposition.

Meanwhile, Brighton's decline continues as Roberto De Zerbi's side are desperate to end a six-game winless slide, compounded by a 3-0 mauling by Bournemouth last weekend.

The Premier League Golden Boot contender is also gunning for another of the division's top awards in the form of the Playmaker of the Season.

Ollie Watkins tops the charts on 12 assists - a tally two clear of Pascal Gross and Kieran Trippier, as well as three more than nine other players, including the 2021/22 recipient of the award, Mohamed Salah.

Half of this total have come in matches away from home, with St. James' Park, Turf Moor, Molineux, Vitality Stadium and Bramall Lane all venues where Watkins has contributed for one of his teammates.

Looking back to the 6-1 demolition at Villa Park, Watkins' saved effort was then followed up by Douglas Luiz, resulting in Villa's sixth of the afternoon and an assist for the striker who lapped up the goal contributions that day.

Betway, who were the market leaders for an Ollie Watkins anytime assist, also offer the best price in the industry for the 28-year-old to score and assist at 11/1.

He ran Brighton ragged in the reverse fixture, netting a hat-trick, an assist and threatening to add to his tally every time he received the ball in front of goal.

Those three strikes takes his number of goals against Brighton to six in as many games, having scored in each of his last four meetings with this opponent.

The goal and assist double has landed four times during the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and therefore feels well worth a small punt for some added interest on Sunday.