Monaco v Aston Villa Tips: Back Watkins to strike again & 7/2 shots Bet Builder | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League

Unai Emery can steer Aston VIlla to another Champions League victory at Monaco

Paul Higham fancies Aston Villa to go to Monaco and win as they chase a Champions League top eight finish, with Ollie Watkins backed to continue his scoring form.

Monaco v Aston VillaTuesday 21 January, 17:45 kick-offLive on TNT Sports 1

It's a trip to the Principality on the South Coast of France for Aston Villa in Tuesday's early kick-off as Unai Emery's side look to make a final push to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

They're fifth in the table with just two games to go so pretty much assured of a top 24 spot to progress into the knockouts, but they're far from safe in the top eight as it's so tight in the new revamped Champions League table - with even 19th placed Club Brugge just three points behind Villa.

Villa have this trip to Monaco, who are also just three points behind them despite being 16th, and then host Celtic to finish the campaign.

Monaco are the slight 6/4 favourites to win what is their first home game of 2025 and despite just one win in eight and back-to-back Champions League defeats, conceding three each time.

This is a third straight away game for Villa, who had a stinking record on the road until winning at Goodison Park and drawing at the Emirates in vastly improved away days in the last week - Ollie Watkins scoring in both - and they're 9/5 to add another away victory.

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Villa's excellent European form has been built on four clean sheets in their six games so far, but they may be tough to replicate here with Monaco serving up a bit of everything the last six games at the Stade Louis II as Adi Hutter's men have won three, lost three and scored 14 goals when scoring in five of those.

There's been nine goals in their three Champions League games at home with both teams scoring in each, and a draw really isn't going to do them too much good so they'll be out attacking again - so I think we will get goals here but I'd rather go 8/11 on the over 2.5 goals as the way Villa are trending you couldn't rule out them winning this one handily the form Monaco have shown recently.

Emery also knows his way around Monaco having won six on the spin as PGS boss and his tactics in Europe so far have been spot-on, so I'm taking Villa.

Back Ollie Watkins to bag again

Ollie Watkins likes scoring in bunches, he's had two little spells of three goals in four/five games this season and has now bagged in his last two. He's not managed three in a row yet, but Monaco's recent defensive record at home suggests this could be a decent fixture to do it.

Sometimes the simple bets are the best, and it's about time Watkins got his first Champions League goal so I see no reason not to back Ollie Watkins to score anytime at 9/5.

You can't help feeling Jhon Duran will have some sort of say in proceedings though, with three goals in the Champions League this season despite just one start - and he's likely starting on the bench again in Monaco.

He's produced the good when he comes on though, as he averages 5.7 shots per 90 minutes played in the Champions League this season including four shots on target and those three goals. He's 2/1 to score anytime but it may pay to cherck the teamsheets and then bet in-play just in case Duran doesn't come on until late.

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For a Bet Builder on this game I'm looking at shots, especially if we're thinking a few goals will go in, and for Monaco I'm taking Takumi Minamino at 4/9 for a shot on target - which he's managed in six of his last seven outings including three of his five Champions League appearances.

Youri Tielemens has been operating in a slightly advanced role the last few games and the results have been noticeable with 10 attempts on goal in his last five games - after managing just 18 the entire rest of the season (and seven of those coming in just two games).

He scored at Arsenal breaking into the box so he's a dark horse for a goal here at 13/2 for a value single, but for us he's still representing value at 5/2 for just 1+ shot on target.

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Back Villa to win & over 2.5 goals @ 3/1 Back Tielemans & Minamino 1+ shot on target @ 7/2