Newcastle United vs Aston Villa, Preview, Prediction & Predicted Lineup

Kieron Dyer has thrown his backing behind Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren.

“Hopefully those two wins gives us momentum heading into the Villa game”. “Normally, when we are losing the games, we have lost our heads”.

“Mitro and Ayoze are still working very hard during the week and that’s why I think we got the result – because they came on, showed their quality and scored”. “If they win that it’s three on the trot”.

“I’m really happy here and that’s what I have to think – try to do my best every week, grow as a player and that’s it”.

“But we haven’t. We’ve followed on from Liverpool, and we need to follow on from this”.

“We have to focus and try to find more wins, especially over this busy Christmas period”.

The Spurs win, in particular, has delighted fans and players alike, with Newcastle coming from behind to win a game for the first time in nearly a year.

Having played in front of the St James’ Park faithful, Dyer is all too aware of the pressure that McClaren is under.

The likes of Kevin Mbabu, Yoan Gouffran and Florian Thauvin could also be pressed into action over the course of the next two weeks – along with Jamaal Lascelles and Cheick Tiote who have returned to light training – and Coloccini is urging all those now on the periphery of things to use this weekend’s events as an example of how to conduct themselves.

McClaren recalls the victory over West Ham in May, which preserved top-flight status, as the evidence it can be done again – and he is determined to make it happen. “At the moment we have been working very hard every week”. It was a system that worked for 40 minutes until they were undone by a set-piece, but once they started to throw men forward in the second half they were a real threat and eventually reaped the benefits to come away with a tremendous result.

This weekend’s game pits Newcastle against an Aston Villa side that have not won in the league since the opening day of the season.

Slowly rising club Newcastle United FC (4-8-4, 16 points) hopes to extend its rare winning run to three games against cellar-dwelling Aston Villa FC (1-12-3, 6 points) at the St. James’ Park on Saturday while the 2015-2016 Premier League season continues.

When bottom club Aston Villa head to Tyneside tonight looking for the points to close the gap on those above them, McClaren knows it is vital that Newcastle win to maintain the growing feel-good-factor within the dressing room.