Last week, Ajax and Aston Villa spent 90 minutes feeling each other out in Amsterdam, and the low-key tactical battle produced just one shot on target from each of the sides at the Johan Cruijff Arena.

Intensity levels should crank up in the crucial second leg, however, based on how well-matched the sides were in the Netherlands, backing Aston Villa to win doesn’t hold much appeal at the skinny prices on offer.

Instead, a double foray into the goals markets is preferred, starting with BTTS. Villa shipped four goals at home to Tottenham in their last run-out at Villa Park and the Villans have now gone seven matches on home soil without keeping a clean sheet.

There has been a nervousness to Villa’s defending in the Midlands and Ajax, who have notched at least twice in ten of their last 11 away games in all competitions, should have opportunities to register.

Any goal notched by Ajax would require two in response from Villa if the hosts are to qualify, so the fireworks we expected to see in the first leg could finally be let loose on Thursday.

The Premier League outfit have failed to score in only one of their 20 competitive fixtures on home soil this term, while 15 of the same contests featured over 2.5 goals and 14 saw action at both ends. Everything looks in place for those goalscoring trends to continue at Villa Park this week.

Star Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins was a peripheral figure in Amsterdam last week when he touched the ball just 14 times and failed to register a single shot for only the second time this season when starting a match.

The 28-year-old is unlikely to see such little action again in Thursday’s return fixture and having tested the opposing keeper at least twice in six of his last nine appearances in all competitions, we expect Watkins to be back in the thick of things this week.

John McGinn could be another option to consider in the 1+ shots on target stakes at close to evens. The Scottish international will feel as though he owes his team-mates having been sent off in Villa’s crucial clash with Tottenham at the weekend, so expect the 29-year-old to try to make amends by providing a match-defining moment against Ajax.

For the visitors, centre-forward Brian Brobbey remains the biggest threat. The 22-year-old has been averaging 2.9 shots per game domestically this season and 1.2 attempts per run-out on the continent and the Dutch international accounted for half of Ajax’s shots himself in last week’s first leg.

When Ajax work the ball into the final third, feeding Brobbey is usually the go-to plan, so expect the ex-RB Leipzig starlet to be serviced at every opportunity.

Despite posting a modest 40% possession figure in last week’s first leg, Aston Villa won the corner count 5-2 in Amsterdam and with the Villans likelier to set the tempo in Thursday’s return fixture, they seem certain to dominate the final tally for that particular set piece again.

Unai Emery’s troops have won at least five corners in five of their last six matches, while Villa have also been winning them at a rate of 5.93 per home fixture in the Premier League.

Ajax meanwhile, have won two or fewer corners in four of their last six assignments, making them difficult to back in any capacity in the markets.

Villa are priced as short as 1.16 to win more corners than their Dutch visitors this week, while you have to go to as high as over 8.5 to find any value in the total corners stakes, though the 1.25 price on offer there hardly sets pulses racing either.

Instead, backing the Villans to win over 5.5 corners for the seventh successive match at Villa Park looks like a better fit. De Godenzonen conceded a mammoth ten corners in their last Conference League away game at Bodo/Glimt in late February, so expect them to suffer again.

29 fouls were committed and nine cards, including two reds, were brandished in last week’s first leg between Ajax and Aston Villa, and with qualification for the Conference League quarter-finals on the line, Thursday’s do-over could be just as ill-tempered.

Ajax right wing-back Tristan Gooijer was sent off in Amsterdam last week for a couple of bookable offences and his expected stand-in, 21-year-old Anton Gaaei, could be targeted by Villa due to his inexperience. The young Dane looks like an option with real merit in the 1+ fouls market as a result.

Hard-hitting Norwegian midfielder Sivert Mannsverk who was cautioned for one of his fouls at the Johan Cruijff Arena last week, is likely to be tasked with breaking up play again in the second leg and the 21-year-old, who committed at least two fouls in each of his last three appearances, can be backed to do the same at a nice price on Thursday.

Jordan Henderson meanwhile, is also fancied to be in contention on his homecoming. Henderson has brought steel to Ajax’s midfield since ending his Saudi Arabian adventure prematurely. The veteran fouled at least once in five of his last six appearances for the Dutch side, including against Aston Villa last week, and the 33-year-old will be keen to showcase his combative skillset in front of an English crowd.