Mark Lawrenson gives this verdict on Newcastle United | OneFootball

Mark Lawrenson has been discussing Newcastle United.

The former Liverpool defender speaking ahead of the match at Villa Park.

Newcastle United having played forty two matches in total (all competitions) so far this season.

Twenty seven wins, five draws and ten defeats.

Now set to face Aston Villa later today in the 5.30pm kick-off.

Mark Lawrenson speaking to Paddy Power ahead of Aston v Villa v Newcastle:

“This is a really tricky one.

“Newcastle are flying but Aston Villa will have taken something from the performance against Paris St-Germain despite going out of the Champions League.

“Newcastle just look unstoppable at the moment though.

“Prediction: Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 2”

I can’t really disagree with any of that analysis from Mark Lawrenson.

Newcastle United hoping to make it seven wins in a row in all competitions, whilst Aston Villa have won their last four Premier League matches.

I think all three results are possible and the only thing I believe for certain, is that this won’t be a goalless draw.

If you were looking at this match purely on recent results, you would very likely see a draw as the most likely outcome, possibly a high scoring one.

However, I do think, like Mark Lawrenson, that there is a strong case to be made as to why United could well make it seven victories in a row later today.

I have seen claims that Villa have an advantage as they played Tuesday and Newcastle’s match was Wednesday.

However, I think this would be a classic case of not really looking at the full facts, not digging deeper than the fact Newcastle played three days ago and Villa an extra day on top of that to recover and prepare.

Just like the first leg the previous midweek, Villa’s Champions League second leg exit to PSG was a (mental and physical) energy sapping experience and a very tough one to bounce back from. Their players looked shattered in every sense of the word at the final whistle, mentally and physically.

In contrast, Newcastle United have so comprehensively outplayed their last three opponents, they are the equivalent of a horse that wins a race so comfortably, without having to be asked to really extend itself, the horse hardly realising it has actually even been in a race.

Newcastle were 3-0 up within 34 minutes against Leicester 3-1 up against Man U on 64 minutes (4-1 after 77 minutes), then 4-0 up against Palace by half-time (5-0 by the 58th minute).

In all three comprehensive wins, Newcastle making multiple subs of key players, ensuring they would be in the best possible shape for the next game…

Not only that, but the way these games played out, putting the results to bed so early meant they could coast through the remainder of these matches. I think fair to say that if they’d desperately needed to win by more goals in any of these last three games, then you have confidently wagered on them having done so.

This is going to be a full on contest from the first whistle but if the Newcastle midfield plays to the kind of levels they have recently, then every reason to believe that they can give United a platform to take all three points.

The remaining Newcastle United match schedule:

Saturday 19 April – Villa v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 26 April – Newcastle v Ipswich (3pm)

Sunday 4 May – Brighton v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Sunday 11 May – Newcastle v Chelsea (12pm) TNT Sports