Newcastle vs Aston Villa prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-08-11 16:30.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe says his side’s triumph in the new pre-season Sela Cup, which came courtesy of impressive wins against Fiorentina (2-0) and Villarreal (4-0), has spurred on his players further to add an established and coveted piece of silverware to Newcastle’s trophy cabinet, which has been gathering dust since 1969. What better way, then, to follow up a friendly win against Unai Emery’s previous club than by opening the season with victory against Emery’s current crop!
It may not be quite as simple as that for Howe, who has lost all four meetings with Emery by an 11-2 aggregate score. Even still, the typically raucous St. James’ Park faithful will be demanding the Magpies open their campaign with a home win for the second successive season, especially those younger ones who have never been alive to see Newcastle lose against Aston Villa on home turf (W9, D6 since the start of 2005/06).
An exciting season awaits for Villa as they embark on their first European adventure since 2010/11, described in May by four-time UEFA Europa League winner Emery as “a champagne moment”. Given the side earned more Premier League (PL) points than all but four clubs from the beginning of November 2022, there’s understandably a lot of excitement about Emery’s first full season at the club.
Emery did not express considerable concern about letting the lead slip twice in a 3-3 pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Philadelphia, perhaps because the team boasted a formidable record in league action last season when opening the scoring (W17, D2, L3). But just managing to open the scoring could be easier said than done given Villa scored first in a PL visit to only one of the six clubs to finish above them last campaign (1-1 v Liverpool).
Players to watch: Callum Wilson has scored opening round goals in each of the last three PL seasons and helped bring Newcastle a lot of success across the 2022/23 PL when finding the net (W10, D3, L0). Ollie Watkins scored in a superb ten of Villa’s last 19 PL games, and with goals in four of six pre-season appearances, he’s showing no sign of slowing down.
Hot streak: Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has never drawn a managerial H2H with Aston Villa (W5, L3).