- Newcastle are 11th in the Premier League 2026/2027 table with eight points from their opening five games.
- Aston Villa are 14th in the table with five points from six.
- Newcastle have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five matches across all competitions.
Jaisle’s Magpies are an exciting new team
Newcastle had their worst game of the season last time out when they were beaten 4-1 away to Leeds United, but they bounced back with a 2-1 win at home to Hull City in the Premier League 2026/2027 fixtures.
Matthias Jaissle's Magpies are a very exciting new look team at the moment as they press high and wide in a Red Bull style, playing vertical football and looking to win the ball back high up the pitch with a high defensive line.
Anthony Elanga leads the way with two goals in three games in the new campaign, but Harvey Barnes has scored three of the Magpies' last nine in the last five in all competitions and looks a much better anytime goal scorer option for Saturday's game.
Emery’s Villans can sting on the counter
Aston Villa will be a tough nut for Jaissle's men to crack on Saturday as Unai Emery's team are also in good form having won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five. The Villans will likely set up compact and try to catch their opponents off guard on the break.
John McGinn has been a consistent supplier of assists for the Villans in Premier League 2026/2027 so far, with two in five. No one has scored more than once in the league for Villa, but Alysson Edward has four appearances and a goal to his name.
Villa's 3-2 win at Tottenham and 3-1 victory over Sevilla FC are a good indication that they can hurt teams on the turn when given a chance, so we think the visitors will find a way to get on the scoresheet against Newcastle.
An end-to-end clash looks likely
Villa are the slight underdogs for this game at 3.1, but we think the draw is more likely at 3.7 and Newcastle are our pick to just squeeze the win at 2.1.
Both teams to score looks a good starting point for this match at 1.5 as both sides are likely to get chances in an end-to-end affair. Over 2.5 goals at 1.6 should also land as Newcastle score an average of 2.00 and concede an average of 1.67 at St James' Park.
This should be a fascinating tactical battle between two coaches. Jaissle's high press against Emery's compact mid-block should result in turnovers and a few transitions that could determine the outcome. At home, Newcastle have won one and drawn two of their three Premier League 2026/2027 matches to date and this looks like another tough game for the visitors.
