Match Preview: Aston Villa v Fulham

Harry Houdini

Who are we playing?
Fulham, who completely outplayed us at their place before Christmas.

Where are we playing?
Villa Park at, believe it or not, 3pm on a Saturday!

Can I go?
Absolutely loads of tickets available, so you can go and God knows, they need your support

Can I watch it live on the telly?
Not legally in the UK no, however there are plenty of pubs with dodgy dishes and dubious web streams if you can't face watching it in the flesh.

Big game?
HUGE.

Fulham are rapidly running out of games if Felix Magath is going pull off a feat of escapology that Harry Houdini would have been proud of.

However, Fulham's players will be aware that they were more than good value for their win over us at Craven Cottage and the thought of playing at Villa Park certainly won't put the fear of God into them. They'll feel this one is winnable.

Katherine Merry

Villa really need to batten down the hatches after conceding eight goals in two games to teams in Stoke City and Manchester United who have hardly been prolific scorers this season.

If Paul Lambert and his coaches can't prove that they can get on top of the defensive frailties that have been a feature of their two season tenure, they'll surely be looking at the exit door when May comes around, whatever Paul Faulkner might say in public. If nothing else, the reluctance of many season ticket holders to renew for next term puts Lambert and his posse in jeopardy and only a marked improvement in form on the run in will sway people to part with their hard earned cash, given the drivel they've had to sit through lately at Villa Park.

It's difficult to remember a worse season of home performances.

Freedom for Tooting

Do Fulham have any famous fans?
Well there's the lanky bloke with the laptop off of tea-time quiz thingy Pointless and Wolfie Smith from 1970's sitcom Citizen Smith, though he is fictional.

We've got ex-athlete and TV personality Katherine Merry

So we win.

Scott Parker

Who's playing for us?
Team news is somewhat overshadowed by the devastating injury to Big Chris Benteke. Gabby Agbonlahor is a doubt for the game with dodgy guts.

Bent can't play

Fans who moaned about Baker in the Stoke game found themselves moaning even more about Clark in the United one. Bacuna has only ever been a fill-in at right back and this is clearly not where his future lies, so we'd hope that Matt Lowton be given a chance again. Karim El Ahmadi and Gary Gardner are both out for this weekend's match.

Who's playing for them?
Not that they've been picking him anyway but Darren Bent is ruled out due to loan rules. They've started chucking 17 year olds in now, but then their youth sides are top notch. Scott Parker is back in training and Fernando Amorebieta returns from his ban, but Kostas Mitroglou remains sidelined.

Any useless stats?
Of course, here you go:

• We've beaten Fulham 21 times to their 20 victories with 22 draws.

Weimann nicks all three points at the last gasp

• Fulham's last Villa Park success came in an FA Cup tie in 1999. They ran out 2-0 victors thanks to goals from Simon Morgan and Steve Hayward.

• Fulham haven't won a league game at Villa Park since 1973. Despite goals from Brian Little and Bruce Rioch, we lost 3-2 on that occasion.

• It's been over two years since we last beat Fulham, a last gasp goal from substitute Andi Weimann giving Alex McLeish's side a desperately needed home win.

He said, She said...
"I think four wins will be enough to stay in the league, and we can do that." Felix Magath

Prediction
Truly believe that Villa have lost their way and that Paul Lambert is seeing good things that really aren't there. Predicting a narrow Fulham win and a subsequent anti-Lambert backlash.