‘Momentum monsters’ - Former player blown away by Newcastle United as ‘fiesty’ prediction made

Newcastle United are aiming to win at Aston Villa for the second season in a row later today. A scrappy Fabian Schar double did the damage 15 months ago to complete a league double over Unai Emery’s men, who finished in the Champions League places.

Fast forward to the present and they are aiming to do the same again. Newcastle thrashed Villa 3-0 on Boxing Day and the two clubs will renew hostilities this evening in what many are calling a Champions League grudge match.

How do the experts predict the Magpies will get on? NewcastleWorld has profiled their verdicts - and it will be party time on the Tyne if they prove correct…

Click here to join NewcastleWorld's dedicated NUFC WhatsApp channel for news videos and voice notes. CLICK THE FOR NOTIFICATIONS.

Chris Sutton

“Newcastle are the Premier League's momentum monsters, especially since winning the Carabao Cup, but their excellent form goes back further than that,” he told BBC Sport. “Seventh-placed Aston Villa are also in great shape, on a run of four successive league wins, and although they lost the tie overall, they were sensational in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

“Villa's comeback on the night, to win 3-2 after falling 2-0 down, took me by surprise but they really showed what they are made of. I think PSG will win this season's Champions League, but Villa pushed them all the way.

“This is going to be a cracking game, and also a feisty one with what is at stake in the top-five race. Who or what decides it might come down to fine margins, and who makes the most of their chances, because both teams are going to get opportunities.

“Villa will score, whoever they play up top, although maybe they should take Marco Asensio off penalties. He missed two spot-kicks last weekend against Southampton after I told everyone to watch out for him on the Fantasy 606 pod, which sums up my FPL season and predicting ability in one fell swoop.

“You could make an argument for both teams here, but I am going with Newcastle, because of how good they were when I watched them at St James' Park on Wednesday to beat Palace 5-0.

“Harvey Barnes was electric, just unbelievably good down the left, and the same goes for Jacob Murphy on the other flank - his opening goal was absolutely amazing, because who shoots from there? With those two playing the way they are, Newcastle are going to keep on winning.”

Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle

Paul Merson

“Newcastle are coming along quite well,” he wrote in his SportsKeeda column. “They are showing signs of a team playing with confidence. But this is easily one of their biggest games of the season.

“Even though Newcastle are flying in third-place, a defeat to seventh-placed Aston Villa will cut the gap between these teams to just two points! That’s how tight the race to finish in the top five really is.

“If Newcastle can win this game and beat Ipswich in their next one, I think they will be guaranteed Champions League football next season. Winning a trophy was incredible in itself, but imagine if they can top it off with this achievement? The stuff of dreams if you’re a Newcastle fan.

“A draw would do Aston Villa no good here. After this game, they face Manchester City away from home. If they manage to get only one or two points from these two games, I think they are in serious danger of missing out on a top five finish!”

Prediction: Aston Villa 2-2 Newcastle

Mark Lawrenson

“This is a really tricky one,” he told Paddy Power. “Newcastle are flying but Aston Villa will have taken something from the performance against Paris Saint-Germain despite going out of the Champions League. Newcastle just look unstoppable at the moment though.”

Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle

YOUR NEXT READ: Aston Villa v Newcastle United: AI predicts the Premier League result - and scorers