Prediction: Aston Villa vs Newcastle

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 9/5

Bookmaker: BetUS

With heavy hearts, a deflated Aston Villa must swiftly turn the page on their heartbreaking Champions League elimination as they prepare to host Newcastle United in a high-stakes Premier League clash on Saturday evening.

Despite a brave showing against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, Villa’s European journey came to a bitter end, while Newcastle were in ruthless form just 24 hours later, dismantling Crystal Palace in a commanding 5-0 victory.

Aston Villa

Under any other circumstances, Aston Villa boss and ex-PSG manager Unai Emery would have celebrated wildly after overseeing a comeback from two goals down to topple his former side. Instead, the Spaniard stormed down the tunnel on Tuesday night, arguably as furious as he’s ever been since taking the reins in the West Midlands.

Villa fought valiantly, cancelling out goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes with strikes from Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, and Ezri Konsa. But despite their heroics, Gianluigi Donnarumma’s imposing presence in goal ultimately denied them the elusive fourth goal. As PSG rejoiced in a dramatic 5-4 aggregate triumph, an incensed Emery launched a water bottle into the air before marching off, though his and his players’ exceptional efforts were met with warm applause from the home faithful.

Although a Champions League semi-final is now off the table, Emery still has the FA Cup final four to look forward to later this month against Crystal Palace. But before that, his men chase a fifth successive Premier League win as they remain firmly in the race for a top-five finish.

Currently seventh in the table, Villa are level on points with sixth-placed Chelsea and just one behind Manchester City in fourth. Their form at Villa Park remains formidable—Tuesday’s hard-fought win was their fifth in a row at home, extending their unbeaten run on their own turf to 18 matches in all competitions, albeit with just four clean sheets during that stretch.

Team News

With Leon Bailey fit enough to make the bench in the second leg against PSG, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery currently enjoys the rare luxury of a fully fit squad, something no other Premier League manager can claim at this point.

Emery’s surprising choices on Tuesday – opting not to start Ollie Watkins and later withdrawing the lively Marcus Rashford – sparked some debate, but it would be a major surprise if Watkins didn’t return to the starting XI this weekend. With signs of fatigue likely following their midweek exertions, a couple of changes could also be in the offing.

Jacob Ramsey and Marco Asensio are both pushing for inclusion, though the latter may have slipped down the pecking order after missing two penalties at Southampton and squandering a key chance against his parent club PSG.

Newcastle

Newcastle were involved in a five-goal spectacle of their own in midweek, handing absent boss Eddie Howe another reason to smile as they dismantled Crystal Palace 5-0 to climb onto the Premier League podium.

With Jason Tindall at the helm, the Magpies produced a ruthless display. Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, and Fabian Schär all netted, with a Marc Guehi own goal rounding off a sixth successive win in all competitions.

Now just four points off second-placed Arsenal, Newcastle remain in mathematical contention for the title. However, they would need to win all their remaining games and hope Liverpool collect no more than a single point from their final six fixtures – an obviously unlikely scenario. Even so, their Carabao Cup final triumph over Liverpool and their strong push for Champions League football would be more than enough to satisfy the Toon Army.

With eight away wins already this season, Newcastle could match their 2001/02 high of nine – especially considering they’ve defeated Aston Villa in their last three league encounters, scoring at least three goals each time.

Team News

Newcastle’s squad situation is unchanged from midweek, with only Sven Botman (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), and Lewis Hall (foot) unavailable. Unlike Villa, who face Man City next Tuesday, the Magpies have a full week before hosting Ipswich, so Tindall may stick with the same starting lineup.

That means in-form Harvey Barnes should keep Anthony Gordon out of the XI, while Jacob Murphy looks to continue his outstanding away form – 13 goal involvements (4 goals, 9 assists) in his last 17 Premier League road appearances.

Conclusion

Aston Villa vs. Newcastle has all the ingredients for a gripping showdown, with both sides fresh from high-scoring midweek exploits and showing no signs of slowing down in front of goal.

While Villa’s valiant European exit may have left emotional scars, it’s the physical toll and potential defensive tweaks that could cost them. Newcastle’s attack is purring, and with momentum firmly on their side, the Magpies might just edge it in a thriller, ending Villa’s perfect home record in 2025 and compounding the heartbreak from their midweek Champions League blow.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 9/5

Bookmaker: BetUS