Newcastle news: Magpies could make ‘huge statement of intent’ against Aston Villa

Newcastle could make “a huge statement of intent” if they were to beat Aston Villa on Saturday, says former defender Steve Howey.

The Magpies moved up to third in the Premier League table with a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday and hold a five-point advantage over Villa heading into the match.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport programme, Howey said: “The form at the moment is very, very good. For me, if they get a performance, if they get a win against Aston Villa on Saturday, that is a huge statement of intent.

“They have been putting across their intent over the past couple of matches, certainly since the Carabao Cup final when you would have thought doing what they did, going in the history books, that there for would drop-off but there hasn’t.

“Granted, a couple of games they haven’t played very well but they have gotten across the line. But they are playing against a Villa team who, let’s be honest, are a very, very good team themselves.

“Watching them against PSG, they have got a threat. [Youri] Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, [Ollie] Watkins, [Marcus] Rashford, [Marco] Asensio, they have got players like that so they are a very good attacking force. It is at Villa Park, the atmosphere there is a feel-good factor, so that will be a very difficult game – certainly one to pick up points in.

“But if they can go there and win, you have to say Newcastle will be more than favourites to get one of those Champions League places because that is a difficult game.”

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds