Aston Villa vs Newcastle Predictions

• Aston Villa have the best home record in the Premier League this season
• Newcastle have lost six of their last seven league games
• There hasn’t been an away win between these two sides for 11 years

Villa near unstoppable on home soil

Aston Villa’s surprise title challenge has been built on an almost perfect home record, as they have won nine of their 10 top-flight home matches this season, drawing the other surprisingly against bottom club Sheffield United.

Factoring in the end of last season as well, Unai Emery’s side have won 16 of their last 17 league fixtures at Villa Park and they are averaging almost three-goals-per-game at the venue this season.

For their part, Newcastle have lost six of their last seven league games and their 5-1 victory over Villa at St James’ Park at the start of the season is starting to feel like a distant memory.

The Magpies are still scoring, netting two or more in each of their last four games across all competitions, while despite their impressive home record, Villa do concede on their own patch, keeping just two clean-sheets in their last nine league games at Villa Park.

Home advantage crucial in this fixture

Across the last three meetings between these two sides there have been 13 goals scored, 12 of which have been netted by the team playing at home.

This is certainly a fixture that favours the home club, as neither side has won away to the other since Newcastle triumphed 2-1 at Villa Park in September 2013, a run of 16 matches.

Villa’s home form suggests that sequence will continue on Thursday and the hosts can match the three goals they scored in this fixture last season, but with Newcastle also expected to net, 3-1 could be the most likely outcome.

Luiz to drive Villa to victory

Douglas Luiz has been a driving force in Villa’s push towards the top of the Premier League standings, starting 20 of their 21 top-flight games to date and scoring six goals.

Only Ollie Watkins has struck more goals for the Villans than Luiz in the league this season, with the Brazilian’s most recent strike coming in the 3-2 victory over Burnley on December 30th.

As Villa’s regular penalty taker, Luiz is always a candidate to get on the scoresheet and, with an attacking game expected on Tuesday, he could be required to step up from 12 yards again.