Aston Villa could find themselves bottom of the Premier League on Thursday morning should results go seriously against them.
If every team below Villa were to somehow win their midweek games and the Claret and Blue side of Birmingham should lose theirs, they would find themselves rock bottom.
The league continues to intensify at the bottom of the table as they are just one point above the relegation zone, despite their dramatic draw with Chelsea at the weekend.
The position is far from the European places the club usually challenge for and expect, and hitting bottom of the league will be the lowest position the club has had for nearly two decades.
Improvement On The Road
Sunderland will be looking to improve their away form, which currently stands at just three away wins in a staggering 39 games.
It is not a record the Black Cats will be proud of but on a better note they have only lost three of their last nine away games.
Even with their disastrous away form they find themselves in sixth position and a win could take them to just two points behind title challengers Chelsea.
TEAM NEWS
Aston Villa
Manager Gerard Houllier is likely to be without England international Gabriel Agbonlahor after he picked up an ankle injury in Sunday's 3-3 draw with Chelsea.
Youngster Marc Albrighton is likely to return to the starting line-up as Ashley Young faces a late fitness test, after being sidelined with a knee injury.
Luke Young and Stephen Warnock are close to full fitness but the Villa boss remains without midfielder Fabian Delph.
Possible starting XI: Friedel; Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Clark; Downing, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Albrighton; A Young; Heskey.
Sunderland
Captain Lee Cattermole and on-loan defender Nedum Onuoha have handed manager Steve Bruce a welcome boost by hoping to be included in the squad following injuries.
A back injury forced Cattermole to miss the 3-0 win against Blackburn, whilst Onuoha strives to shrug off a hamstring injury.
John Mensah remains doubtful with an ankle injury, whilst long-term absentees Titus Bramble, Michael Turner and Fraizer Campbell all miss out.
Possible starting XI: Gordon; El Mohamady, Onuoha, Ferdinand, Bardsley; Henderson, Meyler, Cattermole, Richardson; Bent, Welbeck.
Prediction
Aston Villa have been really poor this season but go into the game full of confidence after their last-gasp draw with Chelsea, so I can see them getting a narrow win against Sunderland.
Aston Villa 2-1 Sunderland 
