Preview: Aston Villa vs Newcastle United

Aston Villa kick-off their Premier League campaign as they host Newcastle on Saturday. Both teams will be aiming for Champions League qualification and it will be the second time in three seasons that they face each other on the opening day of the Premier League. Newcastle won the previous match 5-1 in the 2023/24 season.

Aston Villa Overview

Villa come into this game with a fantastic home record, losing only one game throughout the whole of last season in the Premier League, which was a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal. The Villans have had a rather quiet transfer window so far with only two senior signings, in Marco Bizot and Evan Guessand. However, crucially they have managed to retain their key players, despite interest from other clubs.

Ollie Watkins has been in great form in pre-season, scoring five goals in five games. It could be a start of a prolific campaign for the 29-year-old with a full pre-season under his belt, which was something he didn't have at the start of last season. Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen have also enjoyed good form in pre-season. Malen will be keen to start the season strong after having limited game time since joining the club in January.

Villa will be without Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey as they both are in talks with Newcastle and Roma respectively about potential moves. Emiliano Martinez is suspended following a red card in the final match of last season against Manchester United. Both Rogers and Boubacar Kamara have been pictured in training despite picking up knocks in pre-season, so they look like they will start. It's probably a tossup between Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen as to who starts at left-back, but following the trends of last season Digne may get the nod. There is a potential that Emiliano Buendia could start in the No 10 with Rogers shifting to the left-wing, after the Argentinian showcased his skills in pre-season.

Unai Emery will be hoping Villa will get off to a fast start this season as competition for the Champions League positions will be even higher than last term. Consistency will be key if Villa want to achieve their goals this year, as at times last season it certainly lacked.

Newcastle Overview

Newcastle's pre-season has been tarnished by Alexander Isak's transfer saga. The 25-year-old has reportedly expressed his desire to leave the Magpies to join Liverpool. However, Newcastle aren't willing for the Swedish international to depart unless they have a sufficient replacement and their £150 million value is met. Eddie Howe will be hoping this doesn't effect his players ahead of the game at Villa Park and will be keen for a resolution to be found so the club can get on with things.

Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw have been the marquee summer signings so far. Aaron Ramsdale has joined on loan and Jacob Ramsey is expected to join in the coming days. Anthony Gordon is a doubt for the game after suffering an ankle injury in pre-season, but could return in time. The midfield trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali will all be set to start, but it will be interesting to see which forwards Howe utilises.

Newcastle supporters will be hoping their team will make a positive start despite a below-par pre-season results, where they are without a win.

The Match

The match is bound to be a great watch, with both sides on a similar level competing for a Champions League place. In the previous four meetings between the two sides, the home team has won, but that doesn't mean it won't be a difficult contest for both clubs.