Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg predictions and betting tips – Emery’s side safely through

Aston Villa have already secured a place in the last 16 of the Europa League with one game to spare, so the pressure is off Unai Emery’s team for Thursday’s game against Red Bull Salzburg.

Villa’s opponents need a win to have a chance of the play-offs. Can Salzburg go to Villa Park and emerge triumphant?

• Draw – 7/2 with Tote
• Both teams to score – 4/6 with SBK
• Evann Guessand to score any time – 11/8 with 247Bet

Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg odds

Find the latest Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg predictions

Aston Villa are the team that refuses to go away in the Premier League title race.

Just a week after Unai Emery bizarrely insisted his side were not even contenders for the top five, Villa moved within four points of top spot courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United.

That looked like a tricky assignment for Villa. Newcastle are strong at home and they seem to raise their game when facing teams around them in the table. Emery’s side were also without some important players due to injury.

Yet it was the visitors to St James’ Park who emerged triumphant to keep the pressure on Arsenal. 

Despite being level on points with Manchester City, few consider Villa likely title winners. That is understandable given they have never been in this position before, but Villa can use the lack of expectation to their advantage.

Ultimately, though, the Europa League probably provides a clearer path to silverware than the Premier League.

Emery is a master at this competition. He has lifted the trophy four times, thrice with Sevilla and once with Villarreal. He also reached another final with Arsenal, losing to Chelsea in 2019.

No coach in the history of the game has been as successful in Europe’s secondary tournament as Emery (next on the list is the legendary Giovanni Trapattoni, who won it three times).

Villa are one of the strongest teams in the Europa League and they are in an exclusive group of two to have already secured a place in the round of 16.

Indeed, with a four-point advantage over ninth-placed Porto, Villa are guaranteed to skip the knockout phase play-offs regardless of what happens this week.

Their target now will be to finish top of the 36-team table. Villa are currently second, level on points with Lyon, although the French outfit have a significantly better goal difference.

Red Bull Salzburg have had considerably less to cheer in this competition than Villa. They are 28th as things stand, and a two-point deficit to Celtic in 24th means they will be eliminated with anything less than a win in Birmingham.

You have to go back to 2021/22 to find the last time Salzburg qualified for the last 16 of a European event. This term, they will need favours from elsewhere to even make the play-offs.

Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg betting tips

Aston Villa and Red Bull Salzburg go head-to-head in the Europa League on Thursday.

Honours even at Villa Park?

This is a difficult game to call when it is hard to know what sort of team Emery will send out.

With John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara already on the treatment table, the Aston Villa boss will not want to take too many risks with his regular starters.

Although finishing top of the league phase would be an accomplishment, there is no difference between first place and fifth in terms of the knockout phase.

That does not mean Villa will suffer defeat, though. Even a second-string XI will be competitive against Red Bull Salzburg.

The Austrian side can get something from Thursday’s match, but they may fall short of the victory they need.

Choose a draw at 7/2 with Tote

Goals at both ends

If Emery does shuffle his pack for Thursday’s game, the attackers in particular will be determined to make a positive impression.

The likes of Leon Bailey and Evann Guessand have not had much of a look-in in the Premier League, so this is an opportunity for both players to catch Emery’s eye.

Red Bull Salzburg have only kept one clean sheet in the Europa League up to now, so they are unlikely to shut Villa out here.

But because they need a victory and will probably be facing a rotated Villa backline, Salzburg can find the back of the net too.

Pick both teams to score at 4/6 with SBK

Guessand on target

Aston Villa fans were excited by the signing of Guessand last summer, but he has not been able to hit the ground running.

The former Nice forward has at least scored twice in the Europa League, though, and one more strike would make him Villa’s joint-leading goal-getter in this tournament.

Despite only joining Villa a few months back, Guessand has been linked with a move away from the club this January.

That is unlikely to happen given Emery’s squad is already stretched, but the Frenchman could do with a big performance against Red Bull Salzburg.

Go for Evann Guessand to score any time at 11/8 with 247Bet

Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg predicted lineups

• Aston Villa expected lineup: Bizot; Cash, Lindelof, Mings, Digne; Bogarde, Onana; Bailey, Buendia, Guessand; Watkins.
• Red Bull Salzburg expected lineup: Schlager; Trummer, Gadou, Schuster, Kratzig; Kitano, Diabate, Bidstrup; Baidoo, Onisiwo, Alajbegovic.

Where to watch Aston Villa vs Red Bull Salzburg

• Location: Villa Park, Birmingham, England.
• Date and time: Thursday 29th January, 8pm.
• How to watch: TNT Sports 2.

More Europa League predictions

We have plenty more Europa League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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