Aston Villa vs Fulham Preview: Team News, Predicted Lineups and Kick-off Time on 31 October
Early match preview · Europe New Times · Information checked 24 October 2026
Aston Villa’s next home league assignment after beating Manchester City is Fulham on Saturday 31 October. Kick-off at Villa Park is scheduled for 20:00 GMT, or 21:00 in Paris. The evening fixture offers Villa a chance to turn a notable individual result into sustained home form, while Fulham face the task of preventing the hosts from setting the terms early.
The week between matters
Villa have a League Cup visit to Bournemouth scheduled for 28 October; Fulham are also due to play Crystal Palace in the competition that evening. The intervening matches leave both managers with choices about workload. For an early preview, it is more useful to identify those decisions than to pretend the final teams are already known.
Villa’s selection picture
The 24 October team against City included Suzuki in goal and Jackson at centre-forward, with Cash, Lindelöf, Pau Torres and Maatsen in the defence. Kamara and João Gomes provided midfield options behind McGinn, Manzambi and Alysson. That published team supplies a reasonable starting point for an early projection, although it does not guarantee the same selection against Fulham.
Aston Villa predicted XI — provisional
Suzuki; Cash, Lindelöf, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, João Gomes; McGinn, Manzambi, Alysson; Nicolas Jackson. The forecast assumes those players remain available after the midweek tie. Mings, Buendía and Mbaye are among the alternatives who could change the balance.
Fulham predicted XI — provisional
Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Larsson, Shea Charles; Bobb, Josh King, Iwobi; Gonzalo García. This projection follows the side named at Coventry on 24 October. Berge, Andersen and Muniz offer possible changes; the cup game and the next medical update will help determine whether continuity is realistic.
Where the contest could develop
Villa’s threat is not simply about committing more players forward. Winning possession with a clear first pass available can be more valuable than a long spell of pressure that leaves space behind. Fulham’s wide players and full-backs will therefore have to balance providing an outlet with protecting their defensive shape.
For the visitors, retaining the ball after an initial clearance would help prevent repeated attacks. Villa, meanwhile, will want Jackson involved without becoming dependent on an early breakthrough. The match could look very different if Fulham make the opening half-hour controlled rather than frantic.
Before the teams are announced
Information checked on 24 October 2026. The starting XIs above are editorial projections using recent selections, not official lineups for 31 October. Subsequent injuries, suspensions and midweek performances may change them.
Read our separate match prediction