• Villa beat Newcastle 4-1 at home last season

• United pipped Villa for the Champions League on goal difference

• Recommended bet: Bruno Guimaraes to have over 0.5 shots on target

Aston Villa welcome Newcastle United to Villa Park just a few weeks after the end of a season in which the clubs could barely be separated.

Just goal difference split Villa and Newcastle, with United the right side of the equation to finish fifth and earning a spot in the Champions League.

However, Edde Howe's summer has been dominated by the Alexander Isak transfer saga, a disruption which Unai Emery's men will hope to exploit.

The latest Aston Villa vs Newcastle United odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Team news

Marco Bizot will make his debut in the Villa goal with Emiliano Martinez suspended.

Unai Emery has to decide whether to hand new striker Evann Guessand a start and who to operate in the No.10 role with Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford no longer on the books.

Howe has made it clear Isak will not be involved (even if he is still at the club) which means Anthony Gordon is set to lead the line, if his ankle twist from last weekend is not too bad.

Joe Willock is definitely out while Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw are hoping for debuts from the start.

The stats

The last six meetings between Villa and Newcastle have each produced three goals or more.

Villa (58) were the lowest scorers in the top half of the Premier League last season.

Villa are unbeaten in their last 21 home games in all competitions (W15 D6), winning the last eight in a row.

Newcastle failed to win any of their final six pre-season games.

Ollie Watkins has scored in each of his four home league appearances against Newcastle.

The latest Aston Villa vs Newcastle United odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Prediction

If pre-season comparisons are your yardstick before having an interest in this Saturday lunchtime curtain-raiser, then Villa are all over the winners.

A settled squad, a successful pre-season, a confident fan base, so pretty much the polar opposite of life at Newcastle where their summer has been torturous, dominated by the Isak transfer saga.

If last season's league table is your guide instead then this could be tight with just goal difference between the pair in May.

Villa have the in-form centre-forward in Ollie Watkins that the Toon will crave though it is hard to imagine the visitors not playing their part in something decent.

There is attacking class in the likes of Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon and Antony Elanga, as exciting a trio of forwards in the division. They are a threat from set-plays and Bruno Guimaraes offers more in front of goal than his odds suggest.

He sits deeper than he once did yet still unloaded 35 efforts last term with a 40% shot accuracy.

Back Bruno Guimaraes to have over 0.5 shots on target at 14/5 with LiveScore Bet

The latest Aston Villa vs Newcastle United odds are available on LiveScore Bet