Bet Builder Tip For Aston Villa vs Newcastle

Saturday’s early kick-off sees Aston Villa take on Newcastle United at Villa Park in a clash between two sides who ended last season level on points. With European football secured for both clubs, expectations remain high, but this opening fixture could be decided by clinical finishing and midfield control. For our bet builder, we focus on Ollie Watkins to score first and both Youri Tielemans and Fabian Schär to be shown a card.

Here’s our Bet Builder pick for Aston Villa vs Newcastle, which has been placed with William Hill:

Ollie Watkins To Score First

Ollie Watkins has firmly established himself as Aston Villa’s talisman. The striker finished last season as the club’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League, and his form has carried through into pre-season, where he continued to find the net with regularity. Facing Newcastle is a fixture he relishes; Watkins has scored in all four of his league appearances against them at Villa Park, contributing seven goal involvements in total. That record alone makes him a serious candidate to open the scoring.

Villa’s home form only strengthens his case. Unai Emery’s side lost just once at Villa Park in the whole of last season and are currently unbeaten in 21 matches on their own patch across all competitions. They’ve also strung together eight straight home victories, with many of those wins sparked by early Watkins goals. His sharp movement and finishing ability frequently put opponents under pressure before they’ve settled into the game.

Newcastle, by contrast, come into the season opener under a cloud. Their summer preparations have been poor, with no victories recorded in a string of friendlies. Eddie Howe is also deprived of his main centre-forward, Alexander Isak, while Anthony Gordon faces a fitness test. Without Isak’s hold-up play and pressing from the front, Newcastle could find themselves pinned back early on, leaving space for Watkins to strike.

Given Villa’s tendency to start fast at home and Newcastle’s sluggish pre-season, Watkins netting first feels a strong play. His past record against the Magpies adds weight, and if Villa are to extend their unbeaten streak in Birmingham, their leading forward is almost certain to play the central role.

Youri Tielemans & Fabian Schär Both To Be Carded

The second leg of this builder focuses on discipline. Both Youri Tielemans and Fabian Schär are central figures for their respective sides, but their combative styles often land them in the referee’s book.

Tielemans is set to anchor Villa’s midfield alongside Boubacar Kamara. While technically gifted, he is also tasked with breaking up play, often through tactical fouls when possession is lost. Against a Newcastle midfield containing Bruno Guimarães and Sandro Tonali, who thrive on driving forward, Tielemans will likely find himself chasing shadows at times. His lack of pace in defensive transitions has previously seen him collect cautions, and this match-up looks ideal for another.

On the other hand, Fabian Schär is Newcastle’s most aggressive central defender. Operating to the left of Sven Botman or Dan Burn, he is usually responsible for stepping out of defence to engage forwards. Watkins’s clever runs into channels will keep him busy, and when Villa’s wingers cut inside, Schär often finds himself dragged into wide areas where late challenges are more common. His disciplinary record reflects that tendency – he is rarely far from a yellow card in high-intensity games.

Back Our Aston Villa vs Newcastle Ultimate Bet Builder Tip Here

Newcastle’s defensive unit will also be under immense pressure at Villa Park. Villa scored four against Roma in pre-season and smashed four past Newcastle in April’s home meeting. If Emery’s side get on the front foot again, Schär will be forced into last-ditch defending. In a heated opener where both clubs are keen to lay down a marker, tempers can fray, and experienced officials often clamp down early with bookings.

The combination of Tielemans needing to halt Newcastle’s midfield runners and Schär wrestling with Watkins makes both men prime candidates for cautions. Including them together builds a disciplined angle into this bet builder that complements the attacking confidence of backing Watkins to score.

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