In looking at the Premier League season opening slate, Newcastle United at Aston Villa is a sneaky good match; at least on paper. It’s not the headliner of the weekend, or the main undercard, but it is clash to keep an eye on.
It’s a match-up of two sides who recovered from relegation in the last eight years (Newcastle United 2017-18, Aston Villa 2019-20), and then found themselves back in the UEFA Champions League within a few years of promotion.
Season Opener FYIs
Aston Villa vs Newcastle United
Kickoff: Saturday, August 16, 12:30pm, Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
Preview Content for Both Sides: Team News Starting XI Predictions
Google’s Win Probability: Aston Villa 42% Draw 26% Newcastle United 32%
You can expect there to be some tributes to rock legend Ozzy Osbourne at Villa Park on Saturday. “The Prince of Darkness,” who passed away last month, was from the Birmingham area. He was also a massive Villa supporter who performed his final show at Villa Park, a couple weeks prior. Therefore, this home opener should be an emotional one for Villa and their supporters.
So, without any further ado, let’s get to the lineup predictions.
Starting Lineup Predictions
Aston Villa
Marco Bizot; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Ian Maatsen; Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans; Donyell Malen, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey; Ollie Watkins
Newcastle United
Aaron Ramsdale; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Tino Livramento; Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali; Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter