Newcastle’s 300th home league win is at stake against Aston Villa

Newcastle United can turn the pressure of two straight 4-1 away defeats into a landmark result: beating Aston Villa at St James’ Park would give them their 300th home Premier League win, according to The Mag’s preview.

The Mag reports that Newcastle have two more days’ rest than Villa, who played in the Champions League on Wednesday. The visitors arrive after scoring six against Fenerbahce, but their league form has been less convincing: one win, two draws and three defeats from six matches, leaving them 16th with five points.

Newcastle have also had an uneven start. The Mag puts their league record at two wins, two draws and two defeats, with 10 goals scored and 13 conceded. Their latest loss came at Coventry on Monday. Sven Botman pulled one back with 20 minutes remaining, but Coventry scored twice on the counter to complete a 4-1 win. Newcastle’s other defeat by the same score came away to Leeds.

Villa’s recent league results offer both encouragement and a warning. They beat Tottenham 3-2, then drew 2-2 with Brentford after coming from behind to lead 2-1 before conceding a late equaliser, The Mag reports. A victory at St James’ Park would put Villa level with Newcastle on points.

The head-to-head record adds another complication for the hosts. Villa won 2-0 on their last visit, their only victory in their past 18 trips to St James’ Park, according to The Mag. Newcastle, however, have scored 12 goals across their past four home games against Villa.

The fixture is therefore about more than Newcastle’s response to Monday’s result. A home win would bring up a notable Premier League milestone, while Villa have a chance to draw level on points and build on their midweek European performance. Newcastle host Villa at 17:30 BST on Saturday, 17 October.