English Premier
2026-01-25 - Newcastle United vs Aston Villa
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 25th January 2025 - Kick Off 2pm
This game is live on TV
Newcastle United
Two years ago, the old format of the Champions League Group Stage placed Newcastle United in the 'Group of Death' and they failed to even drop into the Europa League. This time around, a big win over PSV Eindhoven has confirmed progress to the Play Off Round of the Knock Out Stages, although Eddie Howe's team travel to Paris next week in their bid to finish in the top eight of the Champions League standings and avoid having to squeeze in two more games next month.
Eddie Howe has a stretched squad and that has made things tougher for Newcastle United in their bid to find some consistency, and the goalless draw at Molineux last Sunday means they are 8th in the Premier League table. However, there are just 3 points between Newcastle United and Liverpool in the top four and The Magpies have a very solid 7-2-2 record at St James' Park going into this weekend.
Newcastle United have lost 1 of the last 7 games in all competitions, but the win over PSV Eindhoven snapped a run of 3 without a victory in normal time. The victory also continues a dominant run at St James' Park where Newcastle United have won 8 of the last 11 games in all competitions and suffered a single defeat.
Dan Burn is edging closer to a return to give Newcastle United more defensive options with a number of those players out with long-term injuries. This weekend may be too soon for Burn and the same can be said for Jacob Murphy, while Bruno Guimaraes had to be withdrawn before half time on Wednesday and has to be considered a doubt.
Aston Villa
The battling, but deserved win at Fenerbahce on Thursday night has moved Aston Villa through to the Last 16 of the Europa League and manager Unai Emery is much more convinced about the chances of winning silverware in that competition compared with the Premier League. While he has long been dismissing Aston Villa's hopes of keeping up with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the English top flight, Emery knows his experience could be hugely important in the Europa League.
Avoiding having two extra games in February is also a bonus for Aston Villa who can concentrate on domestic matters for a little while with the team in 3rd place in the Premier League table. Getting back into the Champions League would open up some real financial opportunities for the club and Aston Villa are 8 points clear of 5th placed Manchester United with that in mind. The Villans have a solid 5-3-3 away record in the Division where they have scored 15 goals, but conceded 16.
Aston Villa were surprisingly beaten 0-1 at home by Everton last Sunday, but that is the sole loss in the last 5 games in all competitions and they have won 3 times in that run. They were beaten at Arsenal at the end of December, but Aston Villa have bounced back to draw at Selhurst Park before producing back to back away wins at Tottenham Hotspur and Fenerbahce.
Emiliano Martinez is hoping to be available this weekend, but John McGinn is out until next month. The squad have also lost Boubacar Kamara to injury and he is expected to be out until next season.
Head to Head
On the opening weekend of the season, these two Champions League chasing rivals drew 0-0 at Villa Park.
Newcastle United have enjoyed hosting Unai Emery's Aston Villa in recent seasons and have beaten them 4 times in a row at St James' Park.
Prediction
8th hosts 3rd in a top Premier League game this weekend and both Newcastle United and Aston Villa have been in European action this past week.
Both were successful with wins taking them through to the Knock Out Stages, although Newcastle United have work to do if they are going to earn a direct spot in the Last 16 of the Champions League.
Aston Villa have done that in the Europa League and have to be considered one of the favourites to win that competition and return to the Champions League. However, the side are also in a strong position to do that with a top four finish in the Premier League and Unai Emery will be looking for a positive reaction to the 0-1 home defeat to Everton last weekend.
His team have been very productive away from home and that makes them dangerous, although key midfield performers like John McGinn and Boubacar Kamara will be misses.
Unai Emery will be hoping the club can address that before the close of the transfer window, but Eddie Howe is not going to have much sympathy considering the host of injuries Newcastle United have suffered throughout this campaign.
In the main Howe has kept the team on the right track and Newcastle United have been particularly strong at St James' Park, although the potential absence of Bruno Guimaraes is a huge blow.
Both teams have some real quality in the final third who can produce the magic to make the difference, but it is hard to ignore how well Newcastle United have matched up with Aston Villa in recent years and especially at home.
Since Unai Emery took over at Villa Park, Newcastle United have won 5 of 8 games played against Aston Villa and all 4 played at St James' Park.
There is no doubt The Magpies have been much more comfortable in home settings and the feeling is that they can maintain that dominance of this top four rival.
Nothing will come easy, but having a day more to recover from the European exploits is a real advantage, as is the fact that Newcastle United played at home this week. The visiting players are returning from Istanbul from a Thursday night game, and Aston Villa may just lack the energy at the end of this one to contain the speedy attackers that Newcastle United may be able to bring off the bench to secure the three points.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Newcastle United 2-1 Aston Villa
