We’ve got some banger matchups to kick off opening weekend in the Premier League. One such fixture is between Aston Villa and Newcastle.
The two sides finished tied at 66 points for the final Champions League spot last season, with Newcastle pulling through on goal differential. Villa had the chance to pull it out but lost 2-0 to Manchester United on the final day of the season. They’ll have to be content with playing Europa League football while Newcastle gets a crack at the big one. A win on Saturday would be a small measure of revenge.
Aston Villa are a +130 favorite on the moneyline for this contest on the DraftKings Sportsbook. Let’s take a crack at a preview, prediction, and pick for this Villa-Newcastle fixture.
Aston Villa vs. Newcastle Prediction, Pick
It was a quiet transfer window for Aston Villa. They’re more or less running back the same squad from last season, making a couple of signings to replace second-team veterans who left on free transfers. Most notable of their additions is Evann Guessand, a forward who figures to compliment elite striker Ollie Watkins as needed. Playing for OGC Nice last year in France’s Ligue 1, the imposing 24-year-old scored 12 goals while setting up eight more. He adds important forward depth to a team reliant on a player like Watkins to find the back of the net.
Villa also added some key insurance behind their excellent goalkeeper Emi Martinez. The Argentina No. 1 got a new backup in Marco Bizot, and a young understudy in Oliwier Zych, promoted from Villa’s U21 squad. Martinez is no spring chicken at 32, and safeguarding against his decline was a shrewd move to extend their competitive window.
Newcastle largely remain the same as well, apart from three significant additions. They spent big on Anthony Elanga, sending 55 million pounds to Nottingham Forest for the 23-year-old winger. The talented youngster recorded six goals and 11 assists with Forest last season and should rotate in heavily with Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy, and Harvey Barnes on the flanks.
Another big addition comes between the posts, with the loan of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. A punching bag last season for a league-worst Southampton squad, he should provide a steady backup for incumbent starter Nick Pope, and audition for starts or a future No. 1 role if his loan goes well. The defense in front of Pope was beefed up as well, purchasing center back Malick Thiaw from AC Milan. He may not start out of the gate, but for an aging Newcastle back line, he’s a welcome infusion of talent and youth.
It’s a challenging game to handicap. Each squad won by three goals at home over the other, resulting in a 4-4 aggregate result last season. With little to separate the two sides, I’ll take the value by picking Newcastle.
