Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is under no illusion about how hard it will be to end Newcastle United’s unbeaten run at home
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gestures on the touchline.(Image: AP)
Unai Emery admits Aston Villa’s trips to St. James’ Park have been “horrible” – but he says that his side can draw confidence from the chance to open up a 13-point gap over Newcastle today.
Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 17 home league games against Villa, winning the last four by an aggregate score of 13-1.
Heading to Tyneside has often proven fruitless for Villa over the past 20 years, with their last win there coming in 2005, a match remembered for Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer being sent off after a punch-up.
Villa will arrive on the back of an impressive 1-0 win over Fenerbahce in Istanbul, but they have had little time to prepare for Newcastle, who themselves enjoyed a midweek European win, beating PSV at home in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Despite last weekend’s league defeat to Everton, Villa remain comfortably inside the top-four, though that could change quickly, so Emery has urged his players to reset after the high of winning in Istanbul.
“Football is each match, each competition, each performance, collectively and individually. After we lost on Sunday against Everton, it was something we needed on Thursday to come back quickly, playing competitively like we are doing and feeling confidence again,” Emery explained.
“The players, individually and collectively, watched again our structure being strong. Thursday we did it, and I am so happy with how we performed, individually and collectively – we won but how we did our work.
“Now our focus is on the Premier League, and in the Premier League we lost a very good opportunity against Everton on Sunday at home but we must accept it. Newcastle is a challenge, and a strong challenge. They started the season being contenders to be in the top positions for Europe and the Champions League.
“They are performing fantastic, in the Champions League they are doing fantastic, and at home they are feeling confident and strong. How we are facing them, looking at the advantage we have in the table with the points, gives us confidence.
“They started as a contender to be in the top-five – we didn’t start as a contender to be in the top-five. Now we are. We are a team to try to beat.”
Newcastle are unbeaten in their last eight home Premier League matches and have started 2026 with consecutive victories at St James’ Park, overcoming Crystal Palace and Leeds.
Emery, therefore, is under no illusion about the challenge Villa face in trying to secure back-to-back away wins this week.
“We are third and we lost an opportunity to be second last week, but we are challenging one team like Newcastle. We want to try and get our position in the table,” he continued.
“We must recover after the match we played on Thursday and must get focus and consistency in our preparation to get our demands.
“Newcastle is always very difficult in their home. Historically in the last few years, it was horrible for us – really bad results.
“Each match, each season, each moment is an opportunity. I am looking forward to watching how we are facing them on Sunday.”
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