English Premier
2009-05-24 - Aston Villa vs Newcastle United
A Sports Betting Pick by Gooner
Football: England, Premier League
Sunday 24th March 2009 - Kickoff 16:00
Aston Villa (6th - Home Rec : 6-9-3 26:21)
So what will Aston Villa and their fans make of the 2008/09 season when they look back at it?
On the face of it 5th place is a good result, but the great first half of the season that brought a 15-6-4 record and dreams of Champions League football just died away as injuries hit and a 1-5-6 record in the last dozen games during the run-in speaks volumes for the work still to be done by Martin O'Neill.
But will Villa be able to attract and buy the right calibre of players with Europa League football? Or will they find that other clubs are eyeing up Gareth Barry and some of Villa's other talented players?
I expect Villa will try and give a good account of themselves in the final game of the season, to try and give the fans a good positive send off.
Team News :
Villa are confident Ashley Young will be fit after picking up a calf strain against Middlesbrough last weekend.
Right-back Luke Young is rated very doubtful with a foot problem, so former Newcastle winger James Milner could deputise at right-back.
Newcastle (18th - Away Rec : 2-6-10 16-29)
It becomes a pretty simple equation for Newcastle United now - they need to get a point more than Hull City - or two points more than Sunderland - in order to escape relegation on trhe final day of the season.
BUT - and it is a big but - Newcastle need to do it playing away from St James's Park - and so it looks a happy ending for Geordie fans might be pretty unlikely scenario.
Newcastle are just 1-3-6 in the last 10 league games played, and the last SIX of those games have been pretty much billed as "must win" fixtures, against beatable teams with home advantage ... and yet only ONE game was won.
I expect Newcatle to battle hard again in this match, but there are so many things that could screw up this match, ranging from hearing bad news from the other venues (Hull and Sunderland winning) - to hearing good news but having to press forward in search of a winner against a counter-attacxking Villa.
Team News :
Newcastle have problems up front with Michael Owen set for a late fitness test on his troublesome groin injury.
Fellow striker Obafemi Martins is being nursed through his own long-standing groin problem, but Alan Smith is fit again following a thigh injury.
Newcastle will also be without their only recognised right-back Habib Beye as he injured his hamstring in training.
The Betting Verdict
I do expect to see Newcastle start strongly, but I'm not sure that the emotion of the situation will be enough to produce a 90-minute performance.
Villa area a good side, and this season have drawn half of their home games, which might be a good pointer to the final result here too.
Will a point be enough for Newcastle United? It just might be.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle
