High-flying Aston Villa host Newcastle as they look to solidify their place in the top four, while the visitors will be hoping to climb towards the European places.
Aston Villa are in electrifying form, having lost just one of their last 15 games in all competitions, and the Villains are also unbeaten at home since September 2023.
Most recently, Unai Emery's side drew 0-0 away to Chelsea in the FA Cup after an early Douglas Luiz goal was disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), confining them to a replay.
The visitors have endured a much tougher time of late, winning just one of their last seven Premier League games, but have enjoyed two important FA Cup wins over the last month - beating arch-rivals Sunderland 3-0, followed by a 2-0 win away to Fulham in the Fifth Round of the competition.
Games between these sides always prove to be an entertaining affair, with a 9-4 aggregate score in favour of the Magpies over just their last three meetings, but Aston Villa will take confidence over the fact that they have not lost at home to Newcastle since 2013.
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Team news
Aston Villa
Tyrone Mings remains a long-term absentee after undergoing surgery on an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury back in August, and the English defender is not expected to feature again this season.
Similarly, Emiliano Buendia is expected to miss the remainder of the season because of an ACL injury sustained at the start of the season.
Jhon Duran saw the idea of a possible move to Chelsea this month dashed after suffering an injury, and the Colombian is likely to remain sidelined until at least the middle of February.
It is thought that Lucas Digne is at least a week away from resuming training following a thigh injury, meaning that he will play no role in the game against Newcastle.
Pau Torres is still recovering from an ankle injury, with Emery saying:
"He started training with us and [was] ready to play, but he stopped again, and now we are being careful."
Jacob Ramsey remains a doubt for the game as he nears a return from a hamstring injury, with the young English midfielder expected to undergo a late fitness test ahead of the game.
Aston Villa will also be without Bertrand Traore, who remains on international duty representing his native Burkina Faso at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), who face Mali in the Round of 16 a few hours before the Villains' game.
Newcastle
Sandro Tonali remains suspended after being found guilty of illegal betting by the Italian Football Federation. The Italian midfielder will not be allowed to play until after the start of the 2024/25 season, with his ban lasting until 27th August 2024.
The Magpies recently announced the unfortunate news that Brazilian midfielder Joelinton has undergone surgery on a hamstring injury and that the 27-year-old likely will not feature again this season.
Nick Pope remains a number of months away from a return to action as he continues to suffer from a shoulder injury which required surgery back in December.
Full-back Matt Targett is also facing an extended period on the sidelines as he recovers from a hamstring injury, with a return looking likely in March.
Joe Willock and Callum Wilson have both been dealing with calf injuries, and the duo are expected to face around another couple of weeks on the sidelines.
Elliot Anderson has been ruled out of the Newcastle game with a stress fracture in his back, and will still be sidelined for a couple of weeks.
Harvey Barnes is also approaching a return, from a foot injury, but this game will come too soon for the English winger.
Miguel Almiron, amidst transfer speculation surrounding the 29-year-old, has been ill and remains a doubt for the game, though reports suggest that he should be fit enough to at least make the squad.
Other doubts for the game include Jacob Murphy and Jamaal Lascelles, who are suffering from a shoulder issue and knock respectively, and the duo are expected to undergo late fitness tests ahead of the game.
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Likely line-ups
Aston Villa
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno; Bailey, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn; Diaby, Watkins
Newcastle
Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Miley, Guimaraes, Longstaff; Almiron, Isak, Gordon
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Key players
Aston Villa - Douglas Luiz
Luiz has been an instrumental cog in Aston Villa's midfield so far this season and, at times, the Brazilian has quite literally been the difference maker.
As well as defensive prowess, where he averages two tackles and just over six ball recoveries per game, the 25-year-old has also been a massive threat offensively, scoring six goals in the league this season from midfield.
In a game where control of the midfield will be vital, Luiz's performance may well prove the difference against Newcastle.
Newcastle - Alexander Isak
Despite having limited game time through injuries and rotation, Isak has been in rich form this season, scoring 13 goals in just 19 appearances across all domestic competitions.
With five goals in his last five games, this match could not have come at a better time and the Swede will be confident of keeping his run going at Villa Park.
Aston Villa have conceded the fourth least number of goals in the league this season, meaning that Newcastle will likely be reliant on Isak having a good game if they want a positive result from the game.
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Match details
Where is the match being played?
The match will be played at Aston Villa's stadium, Villa Park.
When is the match?
The match is on Tuesday 30th January 2024, and kickoff is at 20:15 GMT.
How can I watch?
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the game is being shown live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Alternatively, highlights will be posted to both clubs' YouTube channels shortly after full-time.
