Premier League | Gameweek 18

Dec 26, 2024 at 3pm UK

St. James' Park

Newcastle vs Aston Villa

Match preview

After a run of two wins in 11 Premier League games, Newcastle have now won their last two games by the same 4-0 scoreline - against Leicester City and Ipswich Town - to move back into the top half of the table.

While the quality of their recent opponents may have been questionable, Eddie Howe's men ruthlessly dispatched Leicester on home soil before beating Brentford in the EFL Cup quarter-finals and then brushing aside Ipswich.

Alexander Isak opened the scoring after just 30 seconds at Portman Road before further goals from the Swedish striker and in-form winger Jacob Murphy gave the visitors a three-goal lead before half-time.

Isak completed his hat-trick as the Magpies moved up to eighth in the table, just one point behind Man City and two behind Aston Villa.

Cup competition will certainly be a priority as Newcastle look to end a 69-year domestic trophy drought, but Howe is also keen to get involved in the multi-club battle for European places.

The north-east side are unbeaten in 15 Premier League home games against their bitter rivals Villa since a 3-0 defeat in April 2005, winning the last three by an aggregate score of 10-1.

History would suggest they should prevail, but Newcastle have also lost their last three Boxing Day fixtures at St James' Park, most recently a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest over the festive period last year.

Villa head to Tyneside having been thrashed in both meetings last season, losing 5-1 in Newcastle on the opening day of an ultimately successful 2023-24 campaign in which Unai Emery's men followed their hosts' example by securing Champions League qualification.

Having endured a dismal run of results away from home, they now travel north with some trepidation, having lost all four of their last Premier League away games - the same number as in the previous 17.

The most recent was at the City Ground, where the Villans let three points slip through their fingers against Forest, ending a three-match winning run that had included a crucial European win over RB Leipzig.

They responded to that setback in style, with Jhon Duran giving them an early lead at home to Man City before the irrepressible Morgan Rogers grabbed the second against his old club as a 2-1 win lifted them above struggling City into sixth.

After the trip to Newcastle, the Birmingham club have two top-flight matches and an FA Cup tie at Villa Park, so Emery will be keen to end his side's away losing streak and lay the foundations for 2025.

However, Villa have lost their first post-Christmas fixture in each of the last three seasons - conceding three goals on each occasion - and their Boxing Day hosts are unlikely to be hospitable.

Recent Performance

Newcastle United Premier League form:LDDLWW

Newcastle United form (all competitions):DDLWWW

Aston Villa Premier League form:DLWWLW

Aston Villa form (all competitions):LWWWLW

Team News

While Newcastle welcome back Joelinton from suspension, the versatile Brazilian is still recovering from a facial injury that required stitches after last week's cup win at Brentford, so his availability remains in doubt.

Joe Willock should be fit after picking up a knock at Ipswich, but first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope heads a long list of absentees that also includes Callum Wilson, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth.

In Wilson's absence, Alexander Isak, who has scored 23 Premier League goals in 2024, again tops the scoring charts behind Erling Haaland (26) and Cole Palmer (25). The only other Newcastle players to have scored more in one year are Alan Shearer (27 in 2002) and Andrew Cole (24 in 1994).

In his last three league games, Jacob Murphy has provided two assists against Brentford, scored twice against Leicester and had a hand in a goal against Ipswich, so he will join Anthony Gordon in Isak's support.

Aston Villa's attacking options are less clear-cut, with Ollie Watkins likely to be recalled after several games on the bench, but Jhon Duran has scored four Premier League winners this season and boasts the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the division (one every 80 minutes).

Both have seven top-flight goals to their name this term, but Unai Emery has been reluctant to play them together, preferring to have more of a presence in midfield, where Amadou Onana could again join Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans.

Fortunately for Emery, the visitors have a near full-strength squad with Leon Bailey recently back from his latest muscle problem and Jacob Ramsey back in training, although the latter will not be involved on Thursday.

Possible starting lineup

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Willock; Murphy, Isak, Gordon

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Onana; McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers; Duran