Newcastle vs Aston Villa tips: Magpies to kick off new season on winning note
After bagging Champions League football, Newcastle United will be looking to start the new season on a winning note when they welcome Aston Villa to St James’ Park.
Date, KO time and TV coverage
Premier League, Saturday, August 12, Kick-off 5.30pm BST, live on Sky Sports
Predicted score
Newcastle 3-2 Aston Villa
Team news
Newcastle haven’t got too many injury concerns ahead of the new campaign, though they will be without Emil Krafth and Javier Manquillo for Saturday’s visit of Aston Villa. Fabian Schar and Joe Willock are doubts.
Villa aren’t at full strength ahead of season opener and won’t be able to rely on Emiliano Buendia, Kortney Hause, Alex Moreno or Jacob Ramsey who are all on the injury list.
Newcastle vs Aston Villa Verdict
Newcastle brought plenty of fire and even more goals during their pre-season games. A 2-1 victory over Brighton a fortnight ago was followed by a 2-0 victory over Fiorentina and a 4-0 thrashing of Villarreal.
Aston Villa also looked good, winning three of their last four friendlies, scoring 10 goals and conceding four. Unai Emery’s men also took on strong opposition in the form of Valencia, Lazio, Brentford and Fulham.
If pre-season results are anything to go by, Saturday’s clash should be an absolute cracker. Both Newcastle and Villa met in an early pre-season meeting – one which ended in a pulsating 3-3 draw.
Both clubs impressed last season, and both will be looking to kick on after securing European qualification.
Despite this, it’s the Magpies who are priced as the slight favourites ahead of Saturday’s meeting.
That shouldn’t come as surprise considering Howe’s men turned St James’ Park into a fortress last term, winning 11 of 19 matches and losing just twice.
If the Magpies are to mount another top four bid, replicating their strong home form will be key. With that in mind, expect Newcastle to start on the front foot, especially in front of their own fans.
Another reason to back the hosts is the head-to-head record. Newcastle haven’t lost a home match against Villa since 2005 – that’s a run of 15 matches.
While the expectations around Villa are high, their away record from last season leaves a lot to be desired. Emery’s men won just six of 19 games on the road – hardly a number which could propel the team into top six contention.
With that in mind, our recommendation is to back the hosts to continue their impressive home record. Newcastle to win and both teams to score is the way to go in this one.
