Two teams intent on unnerving the Premier League's elite clash at Villa Park on Tuesday, as high-flying Aston Villa take on last season's surprise package Newcastle United.
While Villa still occupy a place inside the top four despite a slight downturn in results, their ailing visitors could slip into the bottom half if they lose again in midweek.
Match preview
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After a 0-0 draw with Everton last time out in the Premier League - Unai Emery's first goalless result in the English top flight, in his 97th game - Aston Villa played out another stalemate in their most recent fixture, away to Chelsea in the FA Cup.
Having only beaten Championship side Middlesbrough 1-0 in their first outing of 2024, goals have begun to dry up for the previously free-scoring Villans, who have now won just two of their last six matches.
While a cup replay awaits, with a place in the fifth round still at stake, Emery will want to rekindle his side's momentum on Tuesday evening, when they make a welcome return to home soil.
Following a run of three straight away games, Villa will be back in Birmingham, where they have won 16 of their last 17 Premier League games since losing 4-2 to Arsenal last February. Indeed, the West Midlands club have been behind for just 43 minutes at Villa Park in the league this season.
Emery has forged an attacking outfit, but their recent rise has also been based on defensive solidity: they have conceded just nine times in the first half of top-flight matches this term, with no side shipping fewer before the break.
Unbeaten in their last six home games against Newcastle United, Villa have won the last four in a row without conceding. Having last lost to the Toon as hosts in September 2013, they will now aim to keep that streak going and also gain revenge for their woeful opening-day defeat on Tyneside.
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Following that spectacular 5-1 success back in August, Newcastle are now looking to complete a Premier League double over Aston Villa for the first time in a decade.
However, the Magpies will arrive in the second city having lost their last four Premier League matches - conceding at least three goals in each of the last three - while plummeting down to 10th place in the table.
Since beating Manchester United at the start of December, with their seventh win in 10 league games, no team has taken fewer points than Eddie Howe's men, who have at least found some solace in the FA Cup.
After thumping bitter rivals Sunderland 3-0 in the third round, Newcastle followed a heartbreaking 3-2 league defeat to Manchester City with another cup victory on Saturday, when goals from local lads Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn saw off Fulham at Craven Cottage and booked a place in the fifth round draw.
That win marked their return from a welcome mid-season break, which came as the Toon's treatment table was at full capacity and signs of mental fatigue had also set in.
Now, the Northeast side return to top-flight duty, seeking some rare success on the road: holding the second-worst away record throughout the Premier League, they have led for only 136 minutes on their travels this season, putting just five points on the board.
Team News
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Recently tipped for a winter move to either AC Milan or Chelsea, Colombian forward Jhon Duran could be staying at Villa Park for at least the next few months, having been ruled out of action by injury.
Long-term absentees Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings remain unavailable, while Pau Torres (ankle) and Jacob Ramsey (thigh) are both sidelined - and Bertrand Traore is still with Burkina Faso at the Africa Cup of Nations - but Lucas Digne is closing in on his return from a thigh problem.
With Duran out, Ollie Watkins finds his place up front entirely uncontested. The England striker has been involved in nine goals in his last eight Premier League home games and needs one more goal to reach 50 in the top flight, thereby becoming just the third Aston Villa player to make that milestone, after Gabriel Agbonlahor (74) and Dwight Yorke (60).
Meanwhile, Alexander Isak leads Newcastle's attack, having found the net in each of the visitors' last three league games. His sole rival for a start at centre-forward, Callum Wilson, is still short of fitness following injury.
Harvey Barnes is also drawing closer to being involved, but Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Nick Pope, Elliot Anderson, Joe Willock and ex-Villa defender Matt Targett remain out of contention.
Subject of a recent bid by Bayern Munich, Kieran Trippier hopes to overcome a minor groin issue, but it remains to be seen if either Miguel Almiron or Jamaal Lascelles will be selected after being left out on Saturday amid transfer speculation.
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno; Bailey, Luiz, Kamara, McGinn; Diaby, Watkins
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Miley; Almiron, Isak, Gordon
We say: Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle United
Neither side has been at their best in recent weeks, with Villa's goal count slowing significantly and Newcastle's back four being exploited on several occasions. Both have benefited from a recent break, so it should be a close contest played at full throttle, with little to choose between them.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
