Villa v Toon - Facts And Figures

ASTON VILLA: David O'Leary's side go into the match on the back of last weekend's 4-0 victory over the Smoggs at the Riverside, but they haven't notched consecutive victories in 11 League games since beating Sunderland (1-3 a) and Charlton (1-0 h) on 19 and 26 November respectively.

The Midlanders are the draw specialists of the top flight (nine of 25). They've only won as many League matches at home, as Newcastle have achieved away (three).

Villa have not been beaten in six Premiership meetings with the Tyneside club. They've won two and drawn four, including last season's corresponding fixture when the home side won 4-2. It was only Villa's second home Premiership victory over Newcastle. The Magpies' manager of the time, Sir Bobby Robson dropped Alan Shearer, lost the game and then his job, just two days later.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: The Mags can leapfrog Aston Villa in the table with maximum points. But they travel on a run of four successive League defeats away from home, and another would give them the unwanted landmark of 150 losses, home and away, in the Premier League.

No club has failed to score in more top League contests this season than the Toon. They've failed to find the net in over half of their outings (13 of 24). Those two dozen matches have yielded 50 goals (22 for, 28 against). The goals per game ratio is inferior only in Premiership matches involving Liverpool.

The Tyneside club have won five of 12 Premiership visits to Villa Park, but not since a 0-1 triumph on 7 December 2002 when Alan Shearer scored the winner. That was the last time United beat Villa. Two goals were shared in this season's reverse fixture. Shearer put the home side ahead from the spot. Gavin McCann equalised, before Graeme Souness' side were let off the hook when Villa midfielder Gareth Barry fired an 89th minute penalty over the crossbar.

PREMIERSHIP HISTORY:

2005/2006 Sat 03 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership

2004/2005 Sat 02 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 3 Aston Villa Premiership
Sat 28 Aug Aston Villa 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership

2003/2004 Sun 18 Apr Aston Villa 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 01 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership

2002/2003 Mon 21 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
Sat 07 Dec Aston Villa 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership

2001/2002 Tue 02 Apr Aston Villa 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 03 Nov Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Aston Villa Premiership

2000/2001 Sat 19 May Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Aston Villa Premiership
Wed 17 Jan Aston Villa 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
Sun 07 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Aston Villa F.A. Cup
Sat 02 Dec Aston Villa 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership

1999/2000 Sat 04 Dec Aston Villa 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 07 Aug Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership

1998/1999 Sat 30 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
Wed 09 Sep Aston Villa 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership

1997/1998 Sun 01 Feb Aston Villa 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 23 Aug Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Aston Villa Premiership

1996/1997 Sat 11 Jan Aston Villa 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Mon 30 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 3 Aston Villa Premiership

1995/1996 Sun 14 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Aston Villa Premiership
Sat 18 Nov Aston Villa 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership

1994/1995 Sat 25 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
Sat 01 Oct Aston Villa 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership

1993/1994 Wed 27 Apr Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Aston Villa Premiership
Sat 02 Oct Aston Villa 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Premiership