Villarreal vs Espanyol Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Villarreal are in need of some improved form as the Yellow Submarine now welcome a similarly out of form Espanyol side to El Madrigal on Monday evening.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player / US – ESPN+
Villarreal preview: Collapse in the title race
Marcelino’s Villarreal have been holding onto the coattails of the title race but their form has now majorly dipped with a five-match winless run of form across all competitions meaning the gap between them and those outside of the top four has closed.
The home team come into this one on the back of an entertaining encounter at El Sadar in Pamplona, with captain Gerard Moreno notching a brace to share a 2-2 draw with Osasuna last weekend.
Espanyol preview: Collapse in the top four race
Manolo Gonzalez’ Espanyol have been holding onto the coattails of the top four battle in La Liga but their own form has also fallen off a cliff with the Catalans having collected just one point from their last five matches.
The visitors now come into this one on the back of a 2-1 loss at home to Deportivo Alaves at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona with Antonio Blanco and Lucas Boye turning things on its head after Roberto Fernandez had opened the scoring for Espanyol.
Villarreal team news: Alfon out
New signing Alfon, from Sevilla, is sidelined for the hosts due to a calf injury, while key men such as Thomas Partey and Ayoze Perez are also doubts for Villarreal.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Junior; Santiago Mourino, Rafa Marin, Veiga, Alfonso; Pepe, Dani Parejo, Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Gerard, Mikautadze
Unavailable: Costa (Injured), Kambwala (Injured), Foyth (Injured), Pau Cabanes (Injured), Alfon (Injured)
Questionable: Partey (Injured), Ayoze (Injured)
Espanyol team news: Nothing fresh
There are no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues for Espanyol to deal with this weekend and so they will be able to name an unchanged eleven for this one.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Dmitrovic; Riedel, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera, Carlos Romero; Jofre Carreras, Urko Gonzalez, Edu Exposito, Ramon Terrats; Roberto Fernandez, Kike
Unavailable: Javi Puado (Injured)
Questionable:
Villarreal vs Espanyol prediction
Villarreal weren’t good last week. Up against an improved Osasuna side, Villarreal were extremely fortunate to pinch a point via a Gerard penalty. They now face, though, an Espanyol side that are, amazingly, still in the top six and that is amazing because the Catalans have been in woeful form for a while now and an unconvincing home win remains the likeliest outcome for this one in La Liga.
Villarreal vs Espanyol tip: Villarreal to win & under 3.5 goals
