Premier League: Big Sam is Back in Town!

West Bromwich Albion vs Aston Villa

There’s a tasty West Midlands clash on the cards this Sunday but Premier League: West Brom vs Aston Villa has become all about one man, and a big man at that!

Sam Allardyce has returned to the club he represented as a player in 1989, right at the end of his career. He only made one appearance for West Brom, but he’ll become a legend at the Hawthorns if he can keep the Baggies in the Premier League.

Following the hasty sacking of Slaven Bilic, the manager who steered West Brom to promotion last season, Allardyce has signed an 18-month contract, with a break clause in case the Baggies go down, and he’ll receive a healthy bonus if he can save them. He has form in survival battles and bags of experience. This is the 66-year-old’s 13th managerial appointment – unlucky for some – and his first since he was sacked by Everton in 2018.

Talking Points

Can Big Sam save West Brom?

Here at SBOTOP we were worried about Slaven Bilic’s job back in early November, and while potting him so early, after his successful stint at the club, may look odd, the Croatian coach was vocally annoyed with his board when they failed to invest in the summer and seems to have burned his bridge.

The timing of the decision, just after the Baggies had put on a superb performance to draw with Manchester City seems strange too; the cynics among us suspect that Allardyce had already agreed to take the reigns prior to that match, but didn’t want to start with a heavy thumping. And so the former England boss has taken over just in time to dominate the pre-match West Brom vs Aston Villa news.

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Premier League

The WBA board has made its statement, survival at all costs, and Big Sam has a decent CV in that respect. His best managerial achievement was to keep Bolton away from trouble for eight seasons; with a combination of attention to sport science, which was not so widespread at the turn of the century, a pragmatic approach to the beautiful game and heavy investment in proven talent.

More recently he has successfully guided both Crystal Palace and Sunderland to safety when they were under serious threat of relegation from the Premier League, and that’s exactly what the WBA board is hoping for. The Baggies have struggled on their return to the top flight, winning just once, against bottom club Sheffield United, and they remain second bottom of the table.

The problem is that it will be difficult to find three worse teams, even with Allardyce’s nous. Sheffield United look doomed already, but Fulham are beginning to look capable of an escape, while Burnley, with key players back to fitness are looking like their old selves, as Arsenal discovered on Sunday. Then there’s Brighton, Newcastle and Crystal Palace so the pool is not huge, at the moment.

Social distancing might be a problem in the West Brom dugout as Big Sam usually brings a big group of coaches, and they will concentrate on the Baggies’ defence; they have conceded 26 goals, the most in the league, and centre backs Semi Ajayi and Dara O Shea will need attention.

Conor Gallagher, on loan from Chelsea, is by far the most creative talent but expect Big Sam to persuade the WBA board to spend in January.

Aston Villa's Jack Grealish has been outstanding during their Premier League match against Burnley — Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish during the warm up before the match against Burnley

Smith looks safe at Aston Villa

In his second campaign as a Premier League manager Dean Smith is having a better time of it having made a miraculous escape last season. The Villains have won six, including a stunning 7-2 hammering of Liverpool.

While Jack Grealish has been getting in trouble with the law, now banned from driving, he has being doing the business again on the pitch, contributing five goals and five assists, while John McGinn, with four goals, and summer signing Ollie Watkins, with six goals from ten starts have been in fine form.

They can expect close attention from the Baggies defence on Sunday though.

History

Villa have won nine of the 25 games played between these two sides this century, while West Brom have won five and there have been 11 draws.

The last match was a 4-3 win for Villa in the 2019 Championship play-off semi-final.

The Baggies are on a good run at home in this derby though, unbeaten at the Hawthorns in eight encounters.

Betting Tip

	West Bromwich Albion vs Aston Villa	Under 2.75 @ 1.92
	December 21, 03:15 (GMT+8)

The West Brom vs Aston Villa betting odds give Allardyce every chance of getting off the mark with at least a point against Villa.

The Baggies are at 3.55 to win with the draw at 3.45 and Villa at 2.01. Dean Smith’s team have a match against Burnley on Thursday night so may be softened up a little. But, either way, they will know they are in a game on Sunday and I expect goal chances to be at a premium.