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Aston Villa logo
Premier League | Gameweek 31
Apr 15, 2023 at 12.30pm UK
Villa Park
Newcastle logo

Aston Villa
3 - 0
Newcastle

Ramsey (11'), Watkins (64', 83')
Duran (90+3')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Schar (22')

Preview: Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Newcastle United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Two of the Premier League's form sides meet in Saturday's early kickoff, as Aston Villa aim to extend their four-match success streak at the expense of Champions League-chasing Newcastle United.

The Magpies arrive at Villa Park on the back of five straight wins, which sees them occupy third place in the table, while Villa's evolution under Unai Emery continued with victory over Nottingham Forest last weekend.


Match preview

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery © Reuters

Only days after leaving the bench to score Aston Villa's last-gasp winner at Leicester City, Bertrand Traore once again proved the Birmingham side's 'supersub' last time out, as he broke the deadlock in a 2-0 win against struggling Nottingham Forest.

Having replaced the injured Leon Bailey midway through the first half, Traore struck just after the break and red-hot Ollie Watkins then sealed the deal with a second goal in stoppage time, elevating Villa into the Premier League's top six.

Since Unai Emery's first game in charge last November, only his former club Arsenal have picked up more points and earned more wins in the top flight as Villa have posted 11 league wins and 35 points to surge up the standings and into European contention.

Having won each of their last four matches, they will now aim to record five straight top-flight victories for the first time this century - John Gregory was still in charge at Villa Park when they last achieved such a feat.

Emery could quite easily have been sat in the opposition dugout this weekend, as he rejected an approach from Newcastle's owners in 2021 when still at Villarreal, but having ultimately moved to the Midlands he has helped Villa close the gap to their North-East counterparts down to three places and nine points.

Ahead of the Villans' final eight fixtures - seven of which will come against teams also in the top half of the table - they have scored at least once in all 17 of his previous Premier League games.

Only two managers have ever seen their side score in each of their first 18 matches in the competition - Mike Walker with Norwich in 1992 and Chelsea's Carlo Ancelotti in 2009 - and Emery could join their esteemed company on Saturday afternoon.

Aston Villa Premier League form:

Newcastle United Premier League form:


Team News

Aston Villa's Leon Bailey after sustaining an injury on April 8, 2023© Reuters

Due to a hamstring injury sustained last week, Leon Bailey is set to miss out for Aston Villa on Saturday, joining Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara on the sidelines.

Matty Cash (calf) also remains unavailable for the hosts, who will again turn to the vastly experienced Ashley Young to deputise at right-back.

Aside from Bertrand Traore possibly being promoted from the bench to replace Bailey, Villa could be unchanged, with Ollie Watkins starting up front in pursuit of his 10th goal in 12 league appearances.

Long-term absentee Emil Krafth remains unavailable for Newcastle United, while Allan Saint-Maximin will now be out for several weeks with a hamstring problem.

Miguel Almiron, though, could return from a thigh injury, while Bruno Guimaraes will again play through the pain of an ankle issue.

Set to keep his place ahead of fellow forward Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak has scored in each of Newcastle's last three Premier League away games, recording four goals in total during that spell.

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Young, Konsa, Mings, Moreno; McGinn, Luiz; Traore, Buendia, Ramsey; Watkins

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Murphy, Isak, Joelinton


SM words green background

We say: Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle United

Boasting the best defensive record in the Premier League, Newcastle will fancy their chances of shutting out an increasingly potent Villa side. However, under Unai Emery, their hosts' confidence at Villa Park has grown by the week, so the Magpies may be restricted to a single point.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Aston Villa vs Newcastle

Aston Villa
22.4%
Draw
27.6%
Newcastle United
50.0%
214
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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