Newcastle United open their Premier League campaign with a trip to Villa Park, where Aston Villa are unbeaten in 21 straight home games across all competitions, making this a challenging start to the Magpies’ season.
Eddie Howe’s side will need to overcome an awful preseason run that saw them win a grand total of zero games and barely draw a couple of them. In a positive note, recent history clearly favors a Magpies team that blasted Villa last season, beating them 5-1 on the EPL’s opening day.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, enter the new season after finishing sixth in the table, just behind NUFC, and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in the most recent edition of the tournament that will see the Magpies return to later this calendar year.
Despite losing loanees Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Axel Disasi, Unai Emery has retained the core of last season’s squad, bar Newcastle-bound Jacob Ramsey.
The hosts will be without goalie Emiliano Martinez due to suspension, and could miss Morgan Rogers and Ross Barkley through injury. Ollie Watkins, the club’s all-time leading Premier League scorer, is expected to lead Villa’s forward line.
For Newcastle, wantaway Alexander Isak is out on strike, and Anthony Gordon is doubtful. Joe Willock is unavailable due to his recent Achilles injury, but new signings Aaron Ramsdale, Anthony Elanga, and Malick Thiaw could debut, with Gordon a possible option up front if cleared to play.
Here are some of Howe’s Wisdom Nuggets, courtesy of NUFC.co.uk
On the return of the Premier League...
“It’s great to be back. When you look through the summer, you think it is going to be a long break and pre-season, but it kind of flashes by and here we are.
“Lots of work has been going on behind-the-scenes, the players are ready to play and we are looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
On team news, including summer signing Thiaw...
“Everyone is available apart from Joe [Willock] and he’s not too far away himself. We have a relatively good looking squad in terms of injury news. We’ve worked the players hard, they’ve been challenged through pre-season but the majority have come through.
“Malick [Thiaw] will be part of the squad. He has trained two days, never easy coming in right at the end of pre-season because a lot of our work is already done and our structures are in place but but he’s doing well.”
On the start to the 2025/26 season...
“You look at the first few on the calendar and they are tough games for us. It also sharpens your focus and you know when you’re working through pre-season, it’s to get everything right for that first game because you know the quality of the opposition.
“We have had some really tough battles against them. They’ve had successes and we’ve had successes and it’s going to be a really tight game but one we hope we can do well in.”
On Alexander Isak...
“There’s no change to the situation. All of my focus has been on the training, Aston Villa and the transfer front in terms of trying to get players in. You can imagine what that is all consuming. Alex’s situation has been unchanged for a while and that continues to be the case.
“I’ve had a great relationship with Alex. We need to have that partnership with every player. I have to work closely with the players and try to improve, educate and sometimes console them. There’s so many different emotions that players go through and I always want to be there for them in every way.
“I don’t think he would have done as well as he has without that and without his teammates, the supporters and backing of the football club. He recognises that. He’s a highly intelligent person and knows he wouldn’t have that success here without everybody connected with Newcastle.”
On early season expectations...
“Progression, improvement, more control in our performances, more dominant displays. We want to score goals, and to attack.
“The league is so hard, the challenges are difficult. I feel we will be stronger when we have our full compliment of players. We need to find ways to win games when we are not playing our best.”
Date: Saturday, August 16th
Kick-off: 12:30 BST / 7:30 EST
Location: Villa Park, Birmingham (England)
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