PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:
Villa Park Date:
Monday, 4 May Kick-off:
2000 BST
Coverage:
Score updates on Final Score, BBC Sport website and BBC Radio 5 Live; live text commentary on BBC Sport website; Highlights on Match of the Day
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Phil Brown's side are 17th in the Premier League
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Relegation-threatened Hull will look to pull away from the drop zone when they take on Aston Villa on Monday.
Phil Brown's side are three points clear of the bottom three teams, while the four sides immediately above them all lost over the weekend.
Hull have only won once in their last 18 league games, while Villa have failed to win in nine outings.
"Nobody expects us to win but we have kept our best football for teams in the top half of the division," said Brown.
"Villa have gone ahead 14 times this season, we have gone ahead 11 times and neither side has been beaten when they have gone ahead.
"That suggests the first goal is going to play a major part in the outcome of the game."
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606: DEBATE
BenjoBlacknAmber
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Villa right-back Luke Young has been struggling with a foot injury but could play, while striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker could also come into contention after recent hamstring and knee setbacks.
Hull are without the suspended Caleb Folan, so Daniel Cousin could make his first start since suffering a back injury last month, while left-back Andy Dawson is also in contention for selection.
Aston Villa (from): Friedel, L Young, Davies, Knight, Cuellar, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, A Young, Sidwell, Gardner, Reo-Coker, Agbonlahor, Carew, Heskey, Guzan, Delfouneso, Salifou, Clark, Albrighton.
Hull (from): Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Kilbane, Barmby, Marney, Boateng, Fagan, Geovanni, Manucho, Dawson, Ashbee, Garcia, Halmosi, Mendy, Doyle, Hughes, France, Duke.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill:
"They had such a fantastic start, after nine or 10 games they had more points than Manchester United.
"I am sure they thought because of the start they would get to about 40 points more quickly than they have done.
"What happens is you lose confidence. Then it starts to bother you. The league is unforgiving. It is difficult if you get on a losing streak."
Hull defender Michael Turner:
"On Monday we will have a gameplan and hopefully we can get something from the game.
"Aston Villa have had a great season and have been pushing for a top-four spot this season.
"But they are on a slightly bad run of form as well, so it should be an interesting game."
Fading Aston Villa continue their quest for fifth place against a Hull side in freefall and sliding to the verge of the drop zone. These clubs fill two of the three bottom places in the Premier League last six "Form" table, going into the weekend.
Villa are on their longest winless run for two years of nine games, and have drawn their last three.
Hull have gained one win in 18 Premier League matches, and lost the last three.
Brown wants 'hungry' players for Villa clash
Both these clubs are stronger on the road than on home territory.
Martin O'Neill selects his side in the weekend he reaches 1,000 days in charge of Aston Villa.
These are the only two clubs not to have lost any of their Premier League games in which they've opened the scoring.
Hull are in danger of becoming the 18th different club to be relegated the season after being promoted to the Premier League.
Aston Villa welcome Hull to Villa Park for their first league fixture there since winning 5-0 in the old Second Division on New Years Day 1988.
Distance between the clubs: 132 miles (213 kilometres)
ASTON VILLA
Going into this round of matches: 5th 55 points
1. No win in 12 in all competitions; and picked up just four points out of 27, gaining one win in 11; 0-2, away to Blackburn on 7 February.
2. The nine-match winless run is their longest in the Premier League since suffering 11 without victory between 19 November 2006 and 13 January 2007.
3. Drawn the last three top-flight games against Everton (h), West Ham (h) and Bolton (a); last drew four on the bounce between 11 September and 1 October 2004.
4. Not kept a clean sheet in nine league games - the longest current such run by any club in the Premier League; kept three in successive games prior to that.
5. The current tally of 55 points after 34 games equals their return last season.
6. Conceded 13 goals in the last 10 minutes of Premier League games; no club has shipped more in that time sector.
7. No win in six home league games; drawn four and lost two at Villa Park since the 2-1 victory over West Brom on 10 January.
8. Ever-presents in the Premier League with an average finish of ninth. Their best season was 1992-93 when runners-up under Ron Atkinson, and their lowest was 18th in 1994-95 under Brian Little. Ended sixth last season.
9. Already beaten Blackburn, Sunderland and West Brom home and away. They could also do the double over Hull.
10. The run-in after this is:- Fulham (a), Middlesbrough (a) and Newcastle (h).
HULL CITY
Going into this round of matches: 17th 34 points
1. Not won in six Premier League matches; two points out of 18.
2. Won one of 18 Premier League matches (lost 12); the victory being 0-1 away to Fulham on 4 March.
3. On the longest run by any Premier League club of 10 games without netting more than one goal in a match since drawing 2-2, home to West Brom on 31 January.
4. Scored three goals in a Premier League game twice this season. Those were against the top and bottom clubs in the table, Manchester United and West Bromwich.
5. Completed 25 top-flight matches since a win by more than one goal; 0-3, away to West Brom on 25 October.
6. Gained 12 points from losing positions (won three and drawn three).
7. Conceded 59 Premier League goals; only West Brom have been more generous in defence (63 shipped).
8. Not lost a Premier League game in the Midlands; beaten West Brom 0-3, and drew 1-1 with Stoke.
9. Lost home and away to Wigan and Sunderland. Manchester United, Bolton and Aston Villa could also still do the double over them.
10. Still to play another of the top five clubs, Manchester United (h) in the last match of the season on 24 May. A home clash with Stoke and an away match with Bolton precede the arrival of the Red Devils.
ASTON VILLA
Gabriel AGBONLAHOR is the club's top Premier League scorer with 12 goals.
Brad FRIEDEL and Gareth BARRY have started all of Aston Villa's Premier League matches this term.
Steve SIDWELL has scored the fastest goal in this season's Premier League; netting after only 31 seconds of their 2-3 win over Everton at Goodison on 7 December.
If selected:-
FRIEDEL will be extending his record breaking run to 187 consecutive Premier League appearances.
Nicky SHOREY will be making his 300th career league appearance (Leyton Orient, Reading and Aston Villa).
If on the field from the outset:-
BARRY will be making his 350th career league start - all in Villa colours.
Stilian PETROV will be making his 300th British league start (Celtic and Aston Villa).
HULL CITY
Michael TURNER is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Hull's Premier League matches this season.
GEOVANNI is the club's top Premier League scorer with eight goals.
George BOATENG has scored six Premier League goals against Villa; four as a Coventry player and two in Middlesbrough colours.
If he scores:-
Nick BARMBY will reach the milestone of 100 club career goals.
If selected:-
GEOVANNI will be making his 50th Premier League appearance for Hull.
Suspended:-
Caleb FOLAN (three matches)
Aston Villa have beaten Hull on the last four times they've faced the each (one in the old Second Division and twice in the FA Cup, in addition to the reverse fixture in December), and have scored 10 goals without reply.
Victory will give Villa a first double over Hull since the 1972-73 season at second league level.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Villa 7 wins, Hull 5, Draws 5
Prem: Villa 1 win, Hull 0, Draws 0
at Villa only
League (inc PL): Villa 4 wins, Hull 1, Draws 3
Prem: Villa 0 wins, Hull 0, Draws 0
Hull City 0-1 Aston Villa
30 December 2008 - Ref: Steve Bennett
Villa scorer: Zayatte 88 og
Mike Dean (Wirral)
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