The last time Aston Villa visited Tyneside it proved quite a day for Newcastle United. Newly promoted back to the Premier League, the Magpies demolished Villa 6-0 at the start of last season, with Andy Carroll announcing his talents at the highest level with a superb hat-trick.

Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton got the other goals that sunny August afternoon, and it does seem strange that the three players then seen as key to Newcastle's revival have all left - AND that the team has got better without them.

It might be about to get better still, with Papiss Cisse now ready and available to try and make the same sort of impact that Demba Ba has on the Geordie public. Newcastle's only January signing has been handed the famous number nine shirt and has the goalscoring record to have earned it - 37 in 65 Bundesliga games for an average Freiburg side.

It's a sign of how well things are going for Alan Pardew that he was more concerned at keeping the squad he's got rather than adding to it last month, and his settled group can now focus on pushing for a place in Europe next season.

Villa are 11 points further back and closer to the bottom three than the top five. Part of the reason for that is 10 drawn games, more than any other team. That's something that points to a team that's rugged, dour and hard to beat. But Villa's last two games suggest otherwise: a collapse from 2-0 up to losing 2-3 at Arsenal in the FA Cup, followed by a comeback from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 against QPR on Wednesday. They've certainly provided good value for the half-time/full-time punter recently!

Alex McLeish's team has been better away than at home this season, and are currently unbeaten in five league games on the road, winning the last two. I wouldn't put anything on them winning this one, but wouldn't be at all surprised if they manage yet another draw. A high-scoring one perhaps? With these teams it should be open and entertaining, and there should be goals. Please.

Head-to-head



• Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five home matches against Villa.



• Villa have failed to score in their last three visits to Newcastle. Their last win on Tyneside, in 2005, is best remembered for the fact that Newcastle had three players sent off - including brawling team-mates Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer.



Newcastle



• Newcastle have won four of their last six league matches. Only Tottenham and Sunderland have earned more points since Christmas Day.



• Their overall tally of 39 points from 23 matches is their most at this stage of the season since 2002-03.



• The Magpies are yet to win after conceding the opening goal this season (D3, L4).



• Strikers Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba have scored 59 league goals between them since the start of last season. Cisse has 31 goals and Ba 28.



Aston Villa



• Villa are unbeaten in their last five away league matches, winning the last two.



• They have recovered a league-high 11 points from losing positions this season.



• Alex McLeish's side are the only team not to have scored from a corner routine in the Premier League this season, according to Opta.



• Darren Bent has scored in the club's last three league matches and has reached 100 Premier League goals in 226 games, the ninth quickest player to do so.



• Robbie Keane is one short of his 150th English league goal. He has scored in his last two league appearances at Newcastle.



• Charles N'Zogbia made 154 appearances in five years at Newcastle from 2004.



• If fit, James Collins could make his 200th English league appearance.