Aston Vila vs Newcastle

Villa Park is the place to be this Saturday, February 14, 2026, as two Premier League heavyweights, Aston Villa and Newcastle United, clash in a mouth-watering FA Cup Fourth Round tie. With both teams eyeing a deep run in the competition to end long trophy droughts, this evening kick-off promises high intensity and high stakes.

Villa enters the tie in stellar form, sitting 3rd in the Premier League, while Newcastle is looking to build momentum after a crucial away win at Tottenham earlier this week.

Match Information

Aston Villa: Sustaining the Surge

Unai Emery has turned Villa Park into a fortress. Fresh off a 1–0 victory over Brighton, the Villans are full of confidence. Having already knocked out Tottenham in the previous round, they are one of the favorites to reach the final at Wembley this season.

Team News and Selection:

• Midfield Shortage: Villa is light in the engine room with John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, and Youri Tielemans all sidelined until April.

• The Return of Douglas Luiz: The Brazilian, who re-joined on loan from Juventus in January, is eligible to play and likely to start alongside Amadou Onana.

• Defensive Absences: Matty Cash (knee inflammation) and Andres Garcia (thigh) are out, meaning young Lamare Bogarde will likely continue at right-back.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Bizot; Bogarde, Lindelof, Torres, Digne; Onana, Luiz; Bailey, Rogers, Buendia; Abraham.

Newcastle United: Revenge on the Menu

The Magpies are seeking redemption after a 2–0 home loss to Villa in the league just three weeks ago. Eddie Howe’s side finally ended a five-game winless run with a gritty 2–1 win at Spurs on Tuesday, but they face a daunting injury list ahead of this trip to Birmingham.

Team News and Selection:

• Bruno Blow: Captain Bruno Guimaraes suffered a "serious" hamstring injury against Spurs and is reportedly facing two months out—a massive blow for the Toon.

• Midfield Reinforcements: Sandro Tonali and Lewis Hall are expected to return to the starting lineup after being rested midweek.

• The "Ramsey" Factor: Jacob Ramsey could face his former club at Villa Park, adding an extra layer of narrative to the midfield battle.

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Ramsey; Barnes, Wissa, Gordon.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• Recent Meeting: Aston Villa won the last encounter 2–0 at St James' Park on January 25, 2026.

• Home Dominance: Villa has won 8 of their last 10 home games across all competitions.

• Newcastle’s Away Blues: The Magpies have lost 6 of their last 10 matches on the road.

• FA Cup Pedigree: Newcastle is the defending Carabao Cup champion but hasn't won the FA Cup since 1955; Villa’s last major trophy was the League Cup in 1996.

Tactical Preview and Prediction

Unai Emery’s side will likely look to control the tempo through Douglas Luiz and Amadou Onana, using the creative movement of Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendía to feed Tammy Abraham. Newcastle’s best chance lies in their transition play; with Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, they have the pace to hurt Villa’s high defensive line.

However, the loss of Bruno Guimaraes is a catastrophic setback for Eddie Howe. Without their midfield heartbeat, Newcastle may struggle to contain a Villa side that has been nearly flawless at home this season.

Final Score Prediction: Aston Villa 2–1 Newcastle United