Sunday Funday, Burnley at Villa Park and match facts from the BBC
Burnley have four points this season and if they win today, they go above us. Just because this is their first season back doesn't mean this is an easy game. That said, we've won three in a row and we have John McGinn who is currently scoring at a rate of a goal every three games.
And our confidence seems to be coming back. Many have written that the performances against Feyenoord on Thursday wasn't great, but I think we did a professional job and while man of the match Bizot had a lot to do, the result speaks for itself.
And it's about the result at the end of the day. Three points is three points and it might not always be pretty but if you get the three points, the job is done. And that has to be our approach today.
The objective today is three points and I'm confident the manager would have done what is necessary to get those three points in terms of what needs to happen. For the players, it's about implementing that plan and nobody knows if Burnley are going to do what is expected of them. And that's why implementation is always the hardest part.
But we should have a little confidence after the last three results, but we only have two more points than Burnley and that's why there will be a degree of caution. But for today, having recently moved into town, I have the option to spend the afternoon in the pub watching the match.
It's going to be a Sunday Funday. I'll be back about an hour before kick off.
Match facts from the BBC
Aston Villa have won both of their last two Premier League games against Burnley but haven’t won more successive league meetings with the Clarets since March 1900 (5).
Burnley’s last league visit to Aston Villa saw them lose 3-2 in December 2023; they last lost successive away league matches at Villa in April 1966 (4 in a row).
Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League matches against newly promoted sides (W12 D4) since losing 3-0 to Fulham in October 2022. They did lose against Scott Parker the last time he faced Villa however, a 2-0 defeat to promoted Bournemouth in August 2022.
Burnley have picked up just four points in their first six Premier League games this season (W1 D1 L4) and they are yet to win a single point away from home (L3). The Clarets have lost their last four away Premier League games, last losing more consecutively between November 2016 and February 2017 (seven).
Since the start of last September, only three teams have picked up more home Premier League points than Aston Villa (44 – W12 D8 L1) and no ever present side has lost fewer home games in that time (1, level with Liverpool).
Burnley have already conceded 13 Premier League goals this season, only three fewer than they conceded in 46 Championship matches in 2024-25 (16). In Football League history, the earliest into a season a team has conceded as many goals as they had the previous season is seven games by Liverpool in 1894-95 (conceded 18).
Among managers to take charge of 50+ Premier League matches, only Daniel Farke (0.62) has a lower points per game ratio than Burnley’s Scott Parker (0.76). By comparison, Parker has the best points per game ratio in Championship history (2004-05 onwards) among managers with 100+ games (1.95).
Burnley’s Jaidon Anthony has been involved in five goals in six Premier League games this season (4 goals, 1 assist), more than in his first 33 games in the competition in 2022-23 and 2023-24 (3 goals, 1 assist). Only Aleksandar Mitrovic in 2022-23 for Fulham (5) has scored in more of a newly promoted team’s first six games of a season than Anthony’s four in 2025-26.
Among players to attempt 50+ passes while under high-intensity pressure from an opponent, Aston Villa’s Lamare Bogarde has the best completion rate, completing 52 of his 56 passes (92.9%).
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has the most open play assists in the Premier League in 2025 (8). Only three Villa players have more in a calendar year – James Milner in 2009 (12), Ashley Young in 2010 (9) and Ollie Watkins in 2023 (10).
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