Our featured English Premier League match on Tuesday sees Aston Villa host Newcastle and the home side are bidding to extend an unbeaten league record in front of their own supporters
Villa
Villa drew 0-0 at Chelsea in the FA Cup last weekend, how much a replay will be welcomed is open to debate but it keeps them in another competition along with the Europa League and fighting it out towards the top of the EPL standings.
Villa remain unbeaten at home in the league with 9 wins and 1 draw and surprisingly those only dropped points in front of their own supporters came in a 1-1 draw with bottom of the table Sheffield United just before Xmas.
Villa come into this round of matches in fourth spot, level with Arsenal and Man City or 43 points and 5 shy of league leaders Liverpool.
Newcastle
Newcastle were 2-0 winners away to Fulham in the FA Cup on Saturday building on a 3-0 win at Sunderland in the third round. They have been drawn away to Blackburn/Wrexham in the fifth round and will fancy their chances of going deep in a competition that could save their season.
In the EPL Newcastle are in tenth spot, all of 14 points off a top 4 spot. Newcastle have lost each of their last 4 league games although the 2 most recent matches were tough as they lost 4-2 at Liverpool and 3-2 at home to Manchester City. In contrast to the FA Cup results on the road Newcastle's away form in the EPL comprises of 1 win, 2 draws and 7 defeats, the second worst record in the top flight.
Recent Head to Head
The first league meeting this season took place at St, James Park on the opening weekend and Newcastle ran out 5-1 winners.
When the teams met at Villa Park last season Villa were 3-0 winners.
The Betting
At the time of writing Villa are trading at 19/20 to win the game with the draw priced at 31/10 and Newcastle can be backed at around 26/10
A game of 3 goals or more is priced at 5/10 and it's also 5/10 for both teams to score
The Verdict:
Villa are a different proposition to what Newcastle faced at the start of the season and especially so when they are at home. They did make hard work of a couple of recent home fixtures against Burnley and in that draw with Sheffield but the likes of Man City and Arsenal both lost here earlier in the season.
I fancy goals but over 2.5 is on the short side for me and I'll rather speculate in the any time goalscorer market. I'm quite taken with Alex Moreno's recent performances, he had a goal chalked off at Everton lately and went in to my notebook as one to watch.
Bets: Anytime goalscorer Alex Moreno at 17/2 with BetXchange
Note, odds are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
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