At Bournemouth, this week and supporters on the pitch

There is something that needs to be written about this week, about supporters running on the pitch. I should probably also write something about Borja Bastón and James Chester. But all that is to one side for the moment.

And now that I've written that, I can't leave the supporters on the pitch at the final whistle. Look, I understand the elation, but we're celebrating a day out like we've won the Cup. Shouldn't we celebrate that way when we win something and now when we get to go to the final? It sort of makes us look like a small Club. This is just my opinion.

I should focus on today because this is a six pointer. Bournemouth are two points behind us right now so if they win, they go above us. If we win, we go five points ahead of them in the bottom three and it gives us a cushion. Winning today is important.

But Bournemouth are one of those sides that will go on a run. They lost a few recently but won last time out and you don't know what you're going to get at any time. They could start to turn things around today and I think it's fair to say that they're going to try.

That might be good for us. Defensively, I think we can compete against Bournemouth and if we attack like we know we can and if we can get the ball into the box, it's one of those matches where we should be looking for all three points.

I think we're going to see Samatta start and like a child at Christmas, I'm expecting more than what will probably be delivered, but he looked lively against Leicester and he got himself in the right spots. If we get the ball in to him, I'm confident he'll do well. But you get the ball into the box for most strikers and they'll score these days. It's apparently hard to get that ball in.

I'll be back for team news but seeing as it's snowed for 10 days here, I'm hitting the hill. Catch you later.

Match facts from the BBC

Head-to-head

  • Aston Villa won 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium in the first top-flight fixture between the sides in August 2015. They have lost the two subsequent encounters, both at home.
  • This could become the first Premier League fixture in which the away team wins the first four meetings since West Ham versus Wigan in April 2007.

Bournemouth

  • The Cherries are vying to win back-to-back Premier League home games for the first time in a year.
  • They have only earned 18 points from as many matches at the Vitality Stadium over the past 12 months (W4, D6, L8).
  • The three goals scored by Bournemouth to beat Brighton is one more than they managed in their previous nine games overall.
  • Eddie Howe's side have failed to score in four home fixtures this season - only Watford have fared worse.
  • Bournemouth have lost 10 of their past 13 league matches (W2, D1).
  • Callum and Harry Wilson have scored a combined 57% of the club's Premier League goals this season.

Aston Villa

  • It's 15 Premier League away games without a win for Villa in February since they beat Blackburn 11 years ago (D5, L10).
  • Their only away victory in the past 10 league and cup matches came at Burnley on New Year's Day (D3, L6).
  • However, they could go unbeaten in three consecutive Premier League away fixtures for the first time since December 2014.
  • Aston Villa have earned four points from their past two away games, as many as in their previous 17 attempts.
  • They could equal the club record of 20 consecutive Premier League away fixtures without a clean sheet, set from May 2010 to May 2011.
  • All but one of the 25 points earned by Villa have come against sides currently in the bottom nine of the table.
  • Villa are the only side yet to score a headed goal in the Premier League this season.
  • Nine of the last 17 club goals scored by new signing Mbwana Samatta have been headers.