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Newcastle logo
Premier League | Gameweek 28
Mar 12, 2021 at 8pm UK
St James' Park
Aston Villa logo

Newcastle
1 - 1
Aston Villa

Lascelles (90+4')
Krafth (52'), Lascelles (68')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Watkins (86')
McGinn (74'), Sanson (77'), Mings (78')

Dean Smith: 'We must start to show more consistency'

Villa have won four and lost four of their last 10 Premier League matches.

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith wants his team to rediscover some consistency as they look to get their challenge for European football back on track at Newcastle.

Smith admits Villa have progressed much quicker than he anticipated, having only escaped relegation last season on the final day.

They head to St James' Park on Friday night knowing that victory would lift them above champions Liverpool up to eighth place in the table ahead of the weekend's remaining fixtures.

However, Villa's results have been patchy of late, winning four and losing four of their last 10 Premier League matches.

"Like most teams at the moment, we've been a little bit inconsistent with results recently," said Smith.

"I'd have certainly taken that (ninth place with games in hand) at the start of the season. I'd have never accepted it because I've always got a belief that you can go and do well, but we have progressed a lot quicker than we thought we would this season.

"We knew that we weren't satisfied with last season and we wanted to improve anyway. The improvement in the first half of the season was very good.

"But we have created some big chances in our last few games and as long as we keep doing that, we'll be OK."

One of the reasons for Villa's inconsistency recently has been the absence of captain Jack Grealish, and there was bittersweet news regarding his fitness ahead of the trip to Newcastle.

The 25-year-old attacker has recovered from the lower leg injury that has seen him sidelined but Villa's talisman will miss a fifth Premier League game after he was struck down with illness this week.

"Jack hass been making really good progress at we are happy at where he's at but, unfortunately, he won't make it," said Smith, whose side have only won four points in Grealish's absence.

"He has been ill this week so he's been off for a couple of days as well, but we're hopeful for the Tottenham game now, that's for sure.

"Jack is still in and around the training ground. He takes part in the meetings. He's got a voice and an opinion, which is good."

There was some positive news on injuries for Smith, though, as Anwar El Ghazi will be fit to travel after missing the goalless draw with Wolves with a bruised toe while Matty Cash will also be back in contention after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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