The Premier League returns with an exciting tie between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at 13:30 (1:30 PM BST) on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Villa Park expects an upbeat contest as both sides hope to open their campaigns on a three-point high. With Aston Villa remaining 21 games unbeaten at home and Newcastle having strike issues, this game already seems to be the season-definer.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle: Match Facts
- Match: Aston Villa vs Newcastle United
- League: English Premier League 2025/26
- Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2025
- Kickoff Time: 13:30 BST
- Ground: Villa Park, Birmingham
Obtain the latest live stats and odds at SofaScore and FlashScore.
Aston Villa Form & Team News
Unai Emery's Aston Villa are one of the toughest teams to beat at home. The Villans are unbeaten in their last 21 competitive home games (15 wins, 6 draws), a statistic that makes Villa Park a fortress.
Key Points:
- Ollie Watkins is Villa's man, with five goals in four Premier League home games against Newcastle. He will once more be the target man up front.
- Suspended goalstopsman Emiliano Martínez has a weekend off, with Marco Bizot set to debut in the league between the posts.
- Injury doubts: Morgan Rogers, Ross Barkley, and Andrés García are still uncertain picks.
Newcastle United Form & Team News
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle come into this fixture with plenty of challenges. Their pre-season form has been inconsistent, including a defeat to Atlético Madrid, and now they must begin the season without their star forward.
Key Points:
- Alexander Isak is unavailable due to disciplinary issues and ongoing transfer speculation, leaving a major gap in attack.
- Anthony Gordon returns from an ankle injury but can still feature in the starting XI.
- Joe Willock is injured.
- Newcastle may be forced to re-shuffle tactics in order to cover for their missing striker.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle H2H Stats
This old-time fixture has long been filled with drama, but recent records tip in Villa's direction when hosting.
- Aston Villa are 20 league games unbeaten at Villa Park.
- Ollie Watkins has been a constant threat, scoring in each Premier League home match against Newcastle.
- Newcastle have not beaten Aston Villa at Villa Park since 2013, and the difficulty of the trip is noted.
More detailed H2H statistics on WhoScored and Soccerway.
Predictions & Expert Analysis
Most betting experts and model forecasts favor Aston Villa due to their terrific home form and Newcastle's limited attacking firepower without Isak.
- Sports Mole Prediction: Aston Villa 2–1 Newcastle
- Opta Supercomputer: 42.6% chance Villa win, 28% chance draw, 29.4% chance Newcastle win
- TalkSport Tips: Bet on Ollie Watkins to score anytime and Villa to win
- FOX Sports Odds: Newcastle +203 underdogs, but over 2.5 goals expected
Tipster's Predicted Scoreline: Aston Villa 2–1 Newcastle
Player to Watch
- Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins – Villa's top scorer and Newcastle's nemesis at Villa Park.
- Newcastle United: Anthony Gordon – With Isak out, Gordon must be the next-man-up as Newcastle's attacking option.
What's on the Line?
- For Aston Villa, this is about affirming their top-four status and showing they can bully at home again this season.
- For Newcastle United, it's grit. Can they get goals without Isak and prove that they are still a Champions League contender?
Final Thoughts
The Aston Villa v Newcastle 13:30 kick-off promises to be a highlight of the first weekend. Villa's home form and Watkins' purple patch in recent games make the home side favorites. Newcastle will need to be disciplined, creative, and ruthless if they're to overturn the odds.
Our prediction: Villa 2–1 Newcastle, with Ollie Watkins to score again.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle predictions – TalkSPORT- The Sun – Aston Villa vs Newcastle odds & free betting tips
- Sports Mole – Aston Villa vs Newcastle preview
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