MY ACCOUNT
– Seven of Aston Villa’s last 10 games at Villa Park have featured at least three goals
– Newcastle have won their last five league games, and four have had over 2.5 goals
– Recommended bet: Over 2.5 goals
Aston Villa were struggling under Steven Gerrard, but are now sixth following their rejuvenation under Unai Emery and will be looking to take a step forward by beating top-four hopefuls Newcastle on Saturday.
Four straight wins means there is optimism around Villa Park when many feared a relegation battle earlier in the campaign, and that bodes well for a fine game against Eddie Howe’s high-flying Magpies.
Newcastle will be full of confidence too after thrashing West Ham and becoming only the second visiting team to win at Brentford this season in their last two away games, and that should add up to goals in the Saturday lunchtime clash.
Team news
Despite the joy of their 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest last week, the success was tainted by Villa forward Leon Bailey suffering a hamstring injury which seems likely to keep him out for a while.
Fortunately for Emery, Bailey’s replacement, Bertrand Traore, popped up with a goal after coming on as a substitute so it seems he will step straight into the Villa attack from kick-off.
Matty Cash is still ruled out at right back, so Ashley Young looks set to continue in the side and it seems unlikely there will be wholesale changes to the home team.
Newcastle are going to have to do without key forward Allan Saint-Maximin, who has picked up a hamstring issue, but hopes are high that Miguel Almiron will have recovered enough from his thigh injury to be involved in some capacity.
The stats
Aston Villa have won their last four Premier League matches and six of their last seven, keeping a clean sheet in their last three home games.
Both teams had found the net in their six matches before that and they have scored at least twice in five of their last six games at Villa Park.
Seven of their last 10 matches at their Birmingham base have featured at least three goals.
Newcastle have won their last five games, including impressive victories at West Ham and Brentford.
Both teams have scored in four of those five games and a bet on over 2.5 goals was a winner on four occasions during that period.
Prediction
There was a time this season when it seemed Aston Villa would be embroiled in a relegation battle, but they have been transformed under Emery.
This match will be an excellent indication of how far they have improved as Newcastle are in a rich vein of form themselves and look poised to book a place in next season’s Champions League.
Both teams possess strikers in great nick, with Villa’s Ollie Watkins having scored in nine of his last 11 appearances, while Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is showing his quality after an injury-hit start to his Premier League career.
All the ingredients are there for an entertaining clash with goals likely at both ends.
Back over 2.5 goals at 19/20 with LiveScore Bet.
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