- Date and Time: Thursday, December 26, 2024. 15:00 GMT+1
- Venue: St. James’ Park, Newcastle, England
Newcastle vs Aston Villa Preview
Newcastle
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have moved back in contention for a European spot in the Premier League in recent weeks after successive 4-0 wins.
The latest of those saw Alexander Isak net a first hat-trick for the club in Ipswich. This week’s showdown represents a step up in opposition, but the Magpies appear to be thriving in the final third after out-scoring respective xGs of 3.95 and 3.23 in their last two matches.
Eddie Howe on the festive schedule:
“Every reason for us to be excited about those games [against Aston Villa, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur], I have been really pleased with how we have played in recent games, and I think we need to take that into the next week. We… pic.twitter.com/KaUUIbJxlw
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 23, 2024
Despite that, they have scored just 21 goals from an xG of 21.53. Dan Burn and Fabian Schär will continue to play in the central defensive positions on Thursday, but Sven Botman could be back on the bench.
At the back, Newcastle have been reliable throughout the season, conceding 17 goals from an open play xGA of 23.93.
Aston Villa
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are still in contention for a Champions League finish for the second successive campaign. The West Midlands side come into this round sitting sixth in the standings after winning three of their last four.
Their most notable win of the season was at Villa Park last Saturday. Morgan Rogers was outstanding against Man City in the 2-1 win. Villa could potentially end Boxing Day in the top four positions if they record maximum points on Thursday.
Emery has no major injury issues ahead of the trip to Newcastle, with Jacob Ramsey remaining the only player sidelined. However, Villa are still underperforming in terms of xG and xGA. They’ve scored 20 goals from an xG of 22.96 and allowed 20 from an xGA of 19.63.
Bet hereNewcastle vs Aston Villa Prediction
- Pick: Newcastle to Win
- Odds: 1.90 (22Bet)
- Score prediction: Newcastle 2-0 Aston Villa
Both sides come in following solid wins in the latest round of matches. However, the hosts are difficult to overlook when making a Newcastle vs Aston Villa prediction.
The Magpies have clicked into gear in the final third in recent weeks, while Villa have still looked weaker than their rivals defensively. The chances of a home win are further enhanced based on Newcastle’s excellent record against Villa.
The side have won each of their last two against the Villains and recorded wins in each of their last three home matches, scoring a total of ten goals.
Newcastle vs Aston Villa Prediction, Betting Tip
- Pick: Both Teams Not To Score
- Odds: 2.43 (22Bet)
Neither team scoring could be an interesting selection on Boxing Day. Villa have failed to score in two of their last three trips to St. James’ Park. Newcastle’s excellent defensive record in recent weeks has seen them limit rivals to an xGA of one in their previous two.
As for a goalscorer angle, Alexander Isak is hard to overlook. The Swedish striker netted a first club hat-trick against Ipswich on Saturday. That takes his tally for the season to ten in 15 matches from an xG of 9.08.
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