Can Newcastle maintain their impressive home streak against Villa?

Newcastle United welcome high-flying Aston Villa to St James’ Park for Sunday’s Premier League clash.

Newcastle secured a comfortable 3-0 home victory over PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League last time out.

However, Eddie Howe’s side were held to a goalless draw by rock-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers in their last Premier League outing.

Villa recorded a narrow 1-0 victory at Fenerbahçe on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League, thanks to Jordan Sancho’s lone goal securing a knockout stage spot for the Villans.

Unai Emery’s side suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Everton last time out in the Premier League, ending their 11-match winning streak and leaving them seven points off league leaders Arsenal.

Match preview

Newcastle United are unbeaten in their last 17 home league games against Aston Villa (W11 D6), winning the last four by an aggregate score of 13-1.

Aston Villa have taken four points from their last two Premier League games against Newcastle (W1 D1), more than they had in their previous six (3 – W1 D0 L5).

The Magpies are unbeaten in their last eight home Premier League matches (W6 D2) and have started 2026 with consecutive victories at St James’ Park, beating Crystal Palace and Leeds.

Having scored in 10 consecutive Premier League games between MD11 and MD20 this season – scoring the joint most goals (24) and having the best conversion rate (18.9%) in that time – Aston Villa have failed to score in their last two, having 33 shots without success.

In the last two seasons, only Man City (70) and Brentford (63) have scored more home Premier League goals than Newcastle (62), with the Magpies scoring two or more goals in each of their last eight. They last achieved that in nine consecutive home top-flight games between December and March in the 1931/32 season.

Only Arsenal (21) have won more away Premier League points this season than Aston Villa (18), despite the Villans having a minus goal difference on the road (15 scored, 16 conceded).

Newcastle have only lost two of their last nine Premier League matches against sides starting the day in the top three (W4 D3), while manager Eddie Howe has 12 overall victories against sides in the top three (4 with Bournemouth, 8 with Newcastle). The only English manager with more is Sam Allardyce (13).

Newcastle’s Eddie Howe has won 135 Premier League matches and needs one victory to level with Roy Hodgson on 136, putting him joint third for wins by English managers. Only Harry Redknapp (236) and Sam Allardyce (178) have more.

In his final two Premier League games before Christmas, Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers scored a brace in both games against West Ham and Man Utd. Since Christmas, however, he’s had the most shots without scoring of any player (15).

Bruno Guimarães has been involved in nine Premier League goals at St James’ Park this season (7 goals, 2 assists), the most of any Newcastle player. The last Magpies central midfielder involved in more in a season was Georginio Wijnaldum in 2015/16 (11 goals, 2 assists).

Team news

Newcastle United

Bruno Guimaraes was forced off with an ankle injury in the PSV win, and Howe will be hopeful to have his captain for this weekend.

Dan Burn, Will Osula, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Jacob Murphy and Emil Krafth are unavailable with injuries.

Aston Villa

The visitors’ skipper was also forced off injured in the Everton defeat and is ruled out for weeks.

Emiliano Martinez, Boubacar Kamara and Ross Barkley are also sidelined with injuries.

Predicted line-ups

Newcastle United: Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock, Joelinton, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Nick Woltemade.

Aston Villa: Marco Bizot, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Amadou Onana, Evan Guessand, Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Buendía, Ollie Watkins.