Aston Villa vs Newcastle Predictions

• Aston Villa have lost two of their last four home games.
• Newcastle have conceded in their last six fixtures.

Magpies’ strength in depth to edge tie at Villa Park

An FA Cup fourth-round tie may offer a welcome distraction for Aston Villa and Newcastle who have been going through a tough time.

Villa were beaten 1-0 by a ten-man Brentford side at Villa Park, before only managing a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on the south coast last weekend.

Unai Emery’s men conceded 20 shots, 11 corners and an expected goals figure of 2.06 to the Cherries on Saturday and Villa were mighty fortunate to pick up a point.

Results have changed for Villa in recent contests, but the performances haven’t altered all that much, and the good fortune Emery’s side have enjoyed for the bulk of the campaign, may have run out.

Newcastle are in desperate need of a result and they may just get it at Villa Park. Prior to the midweek clash with Spurs, the Mapgies had lost four of their last five matches and pressure is building on the Toon Army’s misfiring forward line.

However, Eddie Howe’s side were excellent when drawing 1-1 with PSG in Paris at the end of last month and they did at least hit two goals when losing 3-2 to Brentford at St James’ Park last weekend.

Squad rotation looks likely for Saturday’s cup tie and Newcastle may just have the edge in terms of depth of roster.

Nick Woltemade, Jacob Ramsey and Anthony Elanga could all be in line for a start at Villa Park and Newcastle should carry enough attacking threat to progress past the home side.

The Magpies won 2-1 at Spurs in midweek, and with no clean sheet in their last six ties and Villa scoring exactly once in three of their last six, a repeat of that scoreline appeals.