Newcastle v Aston Villa predictions: Expect more entertainment at St James' Park

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Newcastle v Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Both teams to score
3pts 4-6 Hills

Team news

Newcastle
Kieran Trippier (calf) will be assessed and Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie, Ciaran Clark, Isaac Hayden, Paul Dummett and Federico Fernandez are out. Loanee Matt Targett is ineligible to face his parent club.

Aston Villa
Emi Buendia (hip) may join Bertrand Traore (hamstring) on the sidelines but Philippe Coutinho should be fit. Ezri Konsa starts a two-game ban so Calum Chambers could start in central defence.

Match preview

Eddie Howe's Newcastle beat Frank Lampard's Everton 3-1 on Tuesday evening and the Magpies boss is aiming for a similar result against another legendary Premier League midfielder-turned-manager.

Steven Gerrard's title-winning Rangers side conceded just 13 goals in 38 Scottish Premiership matches last season but he has found clean sheets harder to come by since taking charge of Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Villa drew 3-3 at home to Leeds on Wednesday, having scored three times in the space of 13 minutes to establish a 3-1 lead in the first half, and Gerrard can expect another lively encounter with Newcastle.

The Toon Army, disillusioned by their team's soporific football for so much of the season, now have reasons to be cheerful after the January signings of Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and highly-rated Brazil international Bruno Guimaraes, who is set for a first start against Villa.

And Newcastle's survival hopes do not rest entirely on the shoulders of the new arrivals. The much-maligned Joelinton is flourishing in a new midfield role while Everton boss Lampard hailed Allan Saint-Maximin as "pretty unplayable at any level of football" after the Frenchman's midweek performance.

Howe's Bournemouth teams were often a soft touch defensively and Newcastle are yet to convince in that department, keeping just two clean sheets all season (against lowly Leeds and Burnley) and conceding an average of two goals per game at home in the league.

That suggests that attack could be the best form of defence for the Magpies and backing both teams to score looks a solid bet at 4-6. It has copped in nine of Newcastle's 12 home league matches this season and the exceptions were defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea as well as a 1-0 win over bottom club Burnley.

Dan Burn may make his Newcastle debut at left-back and Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa's late red card in the draw against Leeds means Calum Chambers, signed on a free transfer from Arsenal last month, could get his first start.

Chambers would come into a defence who have conceded two or more goals in four of their five league fixtures since Christmas although Villa, like Newcastle, have some in-form attacking players.

Philippe Coutinho, who has scored twice in three appearances since arriving on loan from Barcelona, is expected to recover from cramp and youngster Jacob Ramsey followed up his goal in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United with a brace against Leeds.

Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings are proven top-flight goalscorers and Villa have failed to score in only one of their 11 league matches under Gerrard – a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

The combination of two confident attacking units and two shaky defences should ensure another entertaining contest for spectators at St James' Park.

Key stat

18 of Newcastle's 23 home league games since the start of 2021 have featured goals at both ends.

Inside info

Newcastle

Penalty taker Chris Wood
Free-kick wizard Jonjo Shelvey
Set-piece aerial threat Chris Wood
Card magnet Jonjo Shelvey

Aston Villa

Penalty taker Danny Ings
Free-kick wizard Lucas Digne
Set-piece aerial threat Tyrone Mings
Card magnet John McGinn

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