The 2021/22 English Premier League season continues this weekend and on Saturday the 21st of August we have a meeting between Aston Villa and Newcastle United. The match will take place at Villa Park, with the hosts beginning the weekend in 11th place, yet to get off the mark and Newcastle United in 15th place also without a point to their name.
Aston Villa come into the game having suffered a disappointing 3-2 defeat at newly promoted Watford last weekend. Aston Villa started life without Jack Grealish slowly and found themselves 2-0 down after 42 minutes. Watford increased their advantage in the second half and Aston Villa only came to life in the final 20 minutes but which time, it was too late.
⚽️🅰️🌪 pic.twitter.com/A5JYgtZ8m5— Leon Bailey ✞ (@leonbailey) August 16, 2021
⚽️🅰️🌪 pic.twitter.com/A5JYgtZ8m5
That result means Aston Villa have won 3 of their last 10 Premier League fixtures. They have seen both teams score in each of their last 4 league games and over 2.5 goals were also scored in those 4 matches.
Home form was poor towards the end of last season and Aston Villa have won only one of their last 5 home Premier League games. However, it is worth pointing out the two defeats in those 5 matches came at the hands of Manchester City and Manchester United plus there was a victory over Chelsea at the end of the season.
Trends show both teams have scored in 5 of Aston Villa’s last 6 home Premier League matches.
Newcastle United started the 2021/22 Premier League season with a home fixture against West Ham United and took an early lead after only 5 minutes of the game. Having conceded an equaliser in the 18th minute, Newcastle United edged back in front just before half time but it was The Hammers who came out strongly in the second half. West Ham United scored 3 unanswered goals following the break in what was a disappointing second half performance by Newcastle United.
However, Newcastle United have not been easy to beat in recent Premier League games and they are undefeated in 7 of their last 10 league matches. They have remained undefeated in each of their last 4 away Premier League fixtures, scoring 2 or more goals in 3 of their last 4 on the road.
Looking ahead to the team news and Aston Villa have doubts over the fitness of striker Ollie Watkins. Douglas Luiz is unlikely to return until the end of August plus Trezeguet and Morgan Sanson are injured.
Newcastle United travel without the injured trio of Paul Dummett, Martin Dubravka, and Elliot Anderson.
This could be an entertaining game and if the fixtures involving both teams last weekend is anything to go by, there should be goals at both ends of the pitch. However, it is difficult to split them based on what we saw in the opening round of fixtures and the match could end level, with both teams scoring.