Premier League Gameweek 3 Preview: Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace – Both Sides Eyeing First Win
In Gameweek 3 of the new Premier League season, Aston Villa will host Crystal Palace. Both teams are searching for their first win after a slow start to the campaign and are eager for three points to boost morale. This match is crucial not only for league standings but also as an important test before their respective European campaigns kick off.
Match Background & Qualification Scenarios
In Gameweek 3 of the Premier League, Aston Villa will host Crystal Palace at Villa Park. This match is crucial for both teams, as neither has secured a victory in the first two league fixtures of the 2025-26 season [17, 19]. Aston Villa is set to compete in the Europa League this season, while Crystal Palace successfully qualified for the UEFA Conference League, defeating Fredrikstad 1-0 on aggregate in their playoff qualifier, marking their return to European competition for the first time in nearly three decades [17, 19, 20]. Despite Villa's strong home record, being unbeaten in their last 19 home Premier League matches (W11 D8) [20], Crystal Palace has dominated recent head-to-head encounters against Villa, winning three and drawing one of their four meetings across all competitions last season [17, 19, 20]. Notably, Crystal Palace eliminated Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-final and secured a convincing 4-1 league victory, demonstrating their recent superiority [17].
Recent Form
As the season has just begun, both teams have only played two league matches. Aston Villa started with a 0-0 home draw against Newcastle, followed by a 0-1 away loss to Brentford, accumulating 1 point so far [17, 18, 21]. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, has had an unbeaten start with two draws: a 0-0 away draw against Chelsea and a 1-1 home draw against Nottingham Forest, giving them 2 points [17, 18, 19]. Both sides are eager to secure their first victory of the season and claim valuable three points in this fixture.
Key Players & Injury News
For Aston Villa, key attacking players such as Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, and Morgan Rogers will be crucial in their offensive efforts [18]. In midfield, Youri Tielemans is expected to play a vital role [18]. Regarding injuries, Boubacar Kamara is unlikely to feature due to a hamstring injury [17, 18]. Chadi Riad (ACL recovery) and Eddie Nketiah (out until late September) are also sidelined [18]. Ross Barkley and Andres Garcia are listed as doubts while they work their way back to full fitness [17, 18]. For Crystal Palace, key players include Eberechi Eze, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Ismaila Sarr [18, 20]. Notably, Sarr has an exceptional record against Villa, having scored seven goals and provided three assists in his six starts against them across all competitions [20]. Injury concerns for Palace include Cheick Doucoure and Caleb Kporha [18], while Matheus Franca is also a doubt [18].