Live on Sky: Aston Villa vs Newcastle preview

Team news, key stats and prediction ahead of Aston Villa vs Newcastle in the Premier League.

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Team news

Jack Grealish is set to skipper the Aston Villa side in their Premier League home clash with Newcastle on Monday after four weeks out with a calf injury.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton is also likely to play after missing the defeat to Wolves last time out with a calf problem, but deputy Jed Steer is out for up to four months with a partial tear in his Achilles.

Defenders Bjorn Engels and Matt Targett should also figure after overcoming a hip injury and concussion respectively, but winger Jota (hernia) and striker Keinan Davis (hamstring) are not ready to return.

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Newcastle are hoping Ciaran Clark is passed fit to face his former club after already seeing captain Jamaal Lascelles ruled out until the new year.

Lascelles has fractured his tibia and faces several weeks out, while Clark reported back from Republic of Ireland duty carrying a knock.

Florian Lejeuene and Fabian Schar are back in training and could provide the defensive cavalry but Sean Longstaff completes a three-game ban and Matt Ritchie is still out with longstanding ankle trouble.

How to follow

Aston Villa vs Newcastle is live on Monday Night Football from 7pm; kick-off 8pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app.

Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

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Opta stats

• Aston Villa are winless in six home league games against Newcastle, with the last two top-flight meetings between the sides at Villa Park finishing 0-0.
• Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 12 league meetings with Aston Villa (W6 D6) since a 0-1 loss at Villa Park in April 2011.
• Since a 1-4 defeat at Villa Park in February 2008, Newcastle haven't conceded more than once in any of their last 16 league meetings with Aston Villa, shipping nine goals in total in that run (seven clean sheets).
• Aston Villa have lost their last three Premier League games, last enduring a longer run of defeats in the competition between February-April 2016 (11).
• Newcastle have lost 12 of their last 15 Premier League games played on a Monday (W2 D1), though they have avoided defeat in three of their last five (W2 D1 L2); all 15 games have been played away from home.
• Newcastle have won their last two Premier League games and are looking to win three in a row for the first time since November 2018. They've not won back-to-back away games in the competition since January 2018, the first of which was also a 3-2 win at West Ham.
• Seven of Newcastle's last nine Premier League goals have been scored by defenders. Indeed, a league-high 64% of Newcastle's total Premier League goals this season have been netted by defenders (7/11).
• Coming into the weekend's fixtures, no side has conceded more headed goals in the Premier League this season than Aston Villa (5), while only Everton (46%) have scored a higher share of their goals from headers than Newcastle (36% - 4/11).
• Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has lost two of his last three games in all competitions against sides he's previously managed (D1), with his last such match being a 1-3 loss against Aston Villa. He'd only lost two of his previous 27 such matches (W18 D7 L2).
• Aston Villa forward Trezeguet has scored in his last two Premier League games - the last player to score in three in a row in the top-flight for the Villans was Tom Cleverley in May 2015.

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Charlie Nicholas' prediction

I have been impressed with both of these sides. Steve Bruce wants to play better football but he has a lack of choices. Newcastle fans have to admit that this is a tough job and he is having to battle through, which I think he has done superbly thus far.

Bruce may just be proving his point that he needs a couple of players. Mike Ashley may not be able to give him exactly what he wants but he could get a couple of loan deals or get one through the door if someone leaves.

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John McGinn is playing further forward and it is working a trick. Aston Villa need to nurture and control leads much better, and at times they leave themselves vulnerable.

That being said, I have to admire the way Dean Smith goes about it. Villa is also Bruce's old club and will sit in once again, but Villa will sneak it. There is enough about them to create enough chances.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (8/1 with Sky Bet)

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