Newcastle v Aston Villa: Visitors seek league lift after 6‑0 European win

Aston Villa scored six against Fenerbahce on Wednesday, but five points from six Premier League matches tell a different story about their domestic start. Their visit to Newcastle United puts that European momentum up against a side unbeaten in six home games and looking to answer a 4-1 defeat at Coventry City.

The confirmed teams pair Newcastle’s 4-3-3 with Villa’s 4-2-3-1. Nicolas Jackson leads the visitors’ attack, with Alysson, Johan Manzambi and Emiliano Buendía behind him. Yoane Wissa, Matías Fernández-Pardo and Harvey Barnes make up Newcastle’s front three.

Newcastle are without Anthony Elanga because of a knee injury, Jacob Ramsey with a thigh problem and goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen with a muscle injury. Tino Livramento is also out, while Bazoumana Toure is questionable.

Lukáš Horníček starts in goal for Newcastle, behind Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman and Lewis Hall. Joe Willock, Joelinton and Nico González form the midfield. Miley is named in the confirmed XI despite also being listed as out with a broken fibula.

Villa have a similar discrepancy involving Boubacar Kamara: he starts alongside João Gomes in midfield despite being listed as out with a knee injury. Zion Suzuki is in goal, with Matty Cash, Victor Lindelöf, Tyrone Mings and Aaron Wan-Bissaka across the defence.

Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen and Matteo Ruggeri are unavailable. Ross Barkley, George Hemmings and Modou Keba Cisse are listed as questionable, with Barkley’s fitness under scrutiny after his midweek workload.

Villa’s league position explains why Wednesday’s result is a boost rather than a solution. They stand 16th, two points clear of the relegation places, after one win, two draws and three defeats. Their latest league match ended 2-2 at home to Brentford, following a 3-2 win at Tottenham Hotspur.

Across all competitions, however, Villa arrive unbeaten in four matches and with three consecutive away wins, against Tottenham, Coventry and Club Brugge. The task now is to turn that momentum into Premier League points.

Newcastle sit 11th with eight points from six games, three more than Villa. Their last two away league matches both ended in 4-1 defeats, at Leeds United and Coventry, but their most recent home outing brought a 2-1 victory over Hull City. This is their first home match in four weeks.

There is a contrast within Newcastle’s home record. They have scored in each of their last 14 home matches and avoided defeat in the last six, yet have gone 12 Premier League games at St James’ Park without a clean sheet. They have conceded 13 goals in six league matches this season.

That gives Jackson and Villa’s supporting attackers a concrete target without diminishing Newcastle’s own scoring threat. Two midfielders also approach personal landmarks: Willock is one appearance short of 150 league appearances for Newcastle, while Joelinton needs one goal to reach 25 league goals for the club.

Villa manager Unai Emery explained on Friday why Barkley needed assessment after playing 85 minutes against Fenerbahce. “He played 85 minutes and was with some pain. We’ll check him this afternoon,” Emery said. He also described Hemmings as “close to joining us” before a decision on whether he could travel.

Kickoff at St James’ Park is 17:30 BST on Saturday 17 October, in Week 7 of the 2026/27 Premier League season. Villa’s next step is to carry their European scoring into a league campaign that has yielded just one win; Newcastle have home ground again after their latest away setback.

Questions

When and where is Newcastle v Aston Villa?

The match kicks off at 17:30 BST on Saturday 17 October at St James’ Park. It is a Week 7 fixture in the 2026/27 Premier League season.

How close are Aston Villa to the relegation places?

Villa are 16th with five points from six matches, two points clear of the relegation places.

What is a clean sheet?

A clean sheet means finishing a match without conceding a goal. Newcastle have gone 12 Premier League home games without one.