Aston Villa – Newcastle United

In Birmingham, the hosts will be closer to victory.

The rivalry between Aston Villa and Newcastle United over the past couple of years has become a classic of English football. Both clubs have alternated between successful seasons and mediocre ones, aiming to finish in the Champions League places. Aston Villa started the current season poorly, but the unwavering trust of the club's management in head coach Unai Emery allowed rapid stabilization of the situation. Subsequently, the Birmingham club not only recovered last season's positions but also managed to climb to an unprecedented top-3 spot in the Premier League for more than thirty years. While Emery's side cannot yet keep up with the pace of its elder peers Arsenal and Manchester City, its progress cannot be overlooked. Newcastle United is an example of good management in recent years. It might seem that another renaissance of the club came with attracting huge capital, but what stands out is that the Magpies did not buy stars for insane money like those from Saudi Arabia, or as PSG or Manchester City had done before. After appointing Eddie Howe to the managerial post, the team has systematically and precisely strengthened in accordance with the approved concept, until it became a genuine contender for the top-5 of the Premier League. Bookmakers have named the home side as the favourites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.15 on their victory. Aston Villa and Newcastle have met twice in the Premier League this season. In the opening round in Birmingham there was a goalless draw, but remember that at that time the Villans were in poor form. In late January, Aston Villa beat Newcastle in Newcastle 2-0, with one goal in each half. In the previous round, Emery's team achieved a crucial victory over Brighton. Its psychological value was higher than usual, since previously Aston Villa had dropped points in two consecutive matches for the first time since September 2025. Newcastle also won in the last round, which saw Tottenham Hotspur's manager Thomas Frank sacked. Before that, the Magpies had a five-match winless run in official fixtures, four of which were defeats. The home side now deserves much more trust from betting enthusiasts.