Newcastle United face another tough test of their top four credentials as they travel to in-form Aston Villa in search of three points that would further cement European football back at St James’ Park next season.
The Magpies came through an incident strewn outing against Brentford with a 2-1 win courtesy of a late goal from Alexander Isak, but now face a Villa side managed by their one-time target Unai Emery and with one of the best records in 2023 since his arrival.
They have lost just four times since his arrival, and the Spaniard has taken the Villains from midtable to 6th, with a late push for Champions League football not off the table.
We took a look at the latest team news from Eddie Howe’s camp, and how we expect the Magpies to set up on Saturday.
📰 Table Of Contents
Predicted XI
Team News
Newcastle United come into this game on the back of mixed news on the injury front. Mercurial talent Miguel Almiron has returned to training after missing the last four games with a thigh injury.
However, the 29-year-old will almost certainly make any contribution against Aston Villa from the substitutes bench, having spent the last month sidelined.
It means that Anthony Gordon could well be handed a rare start by Eddie Howe, though Jacob Murphy has also impressed in recent weeks.
Elsewhere, Ryan Fraser continues to train with the U21s, and Emil Krafth remains sidelined for the rest of the season.
