Chris Sutton has predicted what he thinks the score will be between Aston Villa and Newcastle United who will face off against each other later tonight.
Things have gone in very different directions for the two clubs after Newcastle’s 5-1 hammering of Villa on the opening day and it would be a huge shock to see a similar result in tonight’s game.
Sutton has been disappointed with Newcastle this season, particularly away from home, and has claimed in his BBC prediction that their troubles outside of St James’ Park will continue at Villa.
Sutton thinks Villa will comfortably beat Newcastle
Aston Villa are making a challenge for the Champions League spots this season and remarkably are still in the Premier League title race after 21 games, sitting just five points off of Liverpool in fifth.
Unai Emery’s side have the best home form in the league having won nine of the 10 games at Villa Park while the other was a draw, and Newcastle have the second worst away form in the league.
On paper it does look like it will be a simple matter for Villa who will hope to continue their unexpected title push, but Newcastle proved last season they can always compete with the very best.
It was only a couple of weeks ago when Newcastle had narrowly lost to Man City after being 2-1 up with about 15 minutes to go, but some may feel tonight’s game is an even tougher task.
In his prediction, Sutton said: “I remember this game well from the start of the season, when Newcastle won 5-1 at St James’ Park.
“Aston Villa had a horrible day in the north-east, with Tyrone Mings picking up a serious injury on top of their heavy defeat, but I am expecting them to get their revenge here.
“Newcastle got a good win against Fulham in the FA Cup on Saturday but they have lost four in a row in the league and have a dreadful away record – Sheffield United are the only top-flight team to pick up fewer points on the road this season.
“Villa Park is not the place you go to turn that kind of run around, and it feels like Newcastle’s season is unravelling a bit because they cannot sign any more players in this window.
“Instead, they just seem to be trying to hang on to a few, with lots of rumours about who could still be leaving.”
Sutton’s prediction: 3-1
Villa pose a different threat this time round
While the 5-1 result on the opening suggests it was an absolute battering, that wasn’t actually the case as Aston Villa had put up a good fight until losing Tyrone Mings to a big injury.
Now, with their new players having settled in and the whole team getting more and more used to Emery’s style of play, it’s going to be almost a completely different challenge for Eddie Howe’s men.
After what has been such an intense and exhausting first half of the season, Newcastle are going to once again have to be at their very best if they are hoping to press high against a team like Villa.
The hosts are sure to be on top form and they have proven they will punish any team who makes even the smallest mistake when playing a high pressing game, so there will be little room for error for Newcastle’s attackers tonight.
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