ASTON VILLA have gone from fearing relegation to having an outside chance of breaking into the top four since Unai Emery took charge but their Premier League revival faces a stern test when in-form Newcastle come calling.
The Midlands giants were in a mess when the Spaniard replaced Steven Gerrard at the helm in October but Emery has turned things around spectacularly. They've won six of their last seven games, with the other match drawn, to romp up the table and now sit in sixth place, just nine points off a Champions League place.
Most of those wins have come against teams in the bottom half of the table but Aston Villa proved they can also take down the big teams by beating Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to hammer the final nail in Graham Potter's coffin.
So it will be fascinating to see how they fare against a Newcastle side who have responded superbly since the crushing blow of losing the Carabao Cup Final to Manchester United.
It's now five wins a row for Eddie Howe's rampant side and our man Gabriel saw two bets come up when they beat Brentford 2-1 last weekend to stay in third place ahead of Manchester United on goal difference.
This is their third successive away game in the Premier League and another three points would set the Magpies up nicely for a home clash with Tottenham which could go a long way to deciding if they finish in the top four.
How the bookies view it
This is a tough one to call with both sides in terrific form but the bookies are siding with Newcastle who are a best 23/20 with QuinnBet. Aston Villa look overpriced at 49/18 with VBet while the draw will be popular with punters at 49/20 with BetUK.
Recent head to head
There has been nothing between these sides in recent years with the last 11 matches producing three wins apiece and five stalemates. Aston Villa won 2-0 when these teams last faced off in the Midlands but Newcastle romped to a 4-0 victory at St James' Park earlier this season.
Players to watch
It's hard to look past Ollie Watkins for an Aston Villa goal with the striker in such deadly form. He has netted nine times in his last 11 outings and is 12/5 with Bet365 for anytime scorer which looks a little overpriced.
Joelinton is always a goal threat from midfield for Newcastle and was only denied a third goal in two games when his effort against Brentford went down as an own goal for keeper David Raya. The Brazilian is 9/2 at William Hill for another goal here.
Anything else catch the eye?
Games involving Aston Villa have been pretty entertaining under Emery, with two or more goals scored in their last five matches. The same stat applies to the last eight Newcastle outings so it bodes well for an open game. Both teams to score is just 41/50 at BetUK but over 2.5 strikes is better at evens with Bet365.
We've seen double figures on the corner count for the last nine Newcastle games and four of the last five for Villa so that market is worth a look here. BetVictor price over 10.5 corners at evens and that stands a chance based on the stats.
Veteran Ashley Young could be up against the explosive Allan Saint-Maximin and that makes him a good candidate for a card at 7/2 with Unibet. The same firm also price Villa's Bertrand Traore at 26/25 just to have a shot on target and that appeals after goals in his last two games.
This English Premier League match between Aston Villa and Newcastle United will be played on Apr 15, 2023 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Aston Villa vs Newcastle United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
