Football betting: Premier League - Villa vs Newcastle

Aston Villa may have lost to Fulham last weekend but there will be no repeat of such slip-ups when Kevin Keegan's Newcastle come to town on Saturday lunchtime (12:45 Sky Sports 1).

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Everyone is entitled to an off-day and Villa's came at Craven Cottage on Sunday, where Scott Carson looked more like Willy Carson as Jimmy Bullard managed to lob him with a free-kick from the edge of the area which didn't even trouble the top corner. Any ideas why Robert Green isn't in the England squad, anyone?

The loss of the hamstrung Gabriel Agbonlahor at half-time hardly helped Villa's cause, while Curtis Davies, who is facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday, also suffered a knock that forced him off as the nightmare unfolded in west London.

Nonetheless, Martin O'Neill's side can be relied upon to prolong Keegan's winless sequence since taking charge three Premier League matches ago – a run which is beginning to make the 7/2 Paddy Power were offering about no wins in Special K's first five matches exceedingly generous, especially as Manchester United are next up for the Magpies.

Villa are not two points off the Champions League reckoning for nothing and, in fact, they are a particularly strong side at home. Only United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Portsmouth have beaten them at Villa Park this season and Newcastle's away record hardly suggests they will join that elite clique. The Toon have lost eight and drawn two of their 12 away matches in the English top-flight.

More importantly, they were lucky not to lose to Middlesbrough at home last week – a measure if ever there was one that they could well get sucked into the relegation whirlpool if current form continues.

Newcastle are workmanlike and predictable. Even Michael Owen and Damien Duff look like slow coaches in a side whose engine could have done with a tinkering last month but couldn't find even anyone – not even a footballer - daft enough to take on such a suicide mission.

And so we can expect a full three points for Aston Villa, who are a massive 9/10 with Canbet to register home win number eight, while the free-kick taking England international Ashley Young is a tasty 7/2 to score at any time with Paddy Power.

Verdict: 3pts Aston Viilla to bt Newcastle @ 9/10 (Canbet); 2pts Ashley Young anytime goalscorer @ 7/2 (Paddy Power)

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