Revived Villa face Newcastle

Two teams eager to reach the same heights they enjoyed years ago in the history of the English game, Aston Villa and Newcastle, clash this afternoon at Villa Park.

While the Midlanders are experiencing a significant resurgence in form - lost once in ten league and cup outings - Newcastle are currently managed by caretakers Glenn Roeder and Alan Shearer, both of whom ruled themselves out of the running to succeed Graeme Souness, sacked after the defeat at Manchester City.

The fans are hoping that chairman Freddie Shepherd will get it right this time. He remarked that there were no more than ten coaches capable of managing Newcastle.

Villa's David O'Leary said he was delighted to watch his side annihilate Middlesbrough 4-0 at the Riverside Stadium, soon after they held runaway leaders Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.

Attacker Luke Moore had a great say in those two positive outcomes, having scored four of the five goals. His feat included a hat-trick at Middlesbrough.

The last Villa player to claim a treble in league action was Dion Dublin, away at Southampton on November 14, 1998 - 4-1.

O'Leary added that it was a privilege to be Villa's manager as his tight-knit squad are steadily pulling away from the relegation zone.

Shearer, who became the club's all-time leading marksman last week with a tally of 201 goals, hinted once more that at the end of the season he will hang up his boots.

His netting in the 2-0 victory over Portsmouth at St James' Park, came at the Gallowgate end in front of his own fans.

On for the double

M'boro vs Chelsea. Jose Mourinho's Blues, having confirmed they are the Premiership untouchables following the 2-0 triumph over Liverpool, moved on to the fifth round of the FA Cup this week after winning the replay against Everton 4-1.

Chief Executive Peter Kenyon is to offer Joe Cole, Damien Duff and William Gallas new deals after goalkeeper Petr Cech pledged his future to the club.

Mourinho has targeted April 9 as the day they will clinch the title. In his opinion, the side needs eight more wins to seal it.

Boro boss Steve McClaren, whose players have started to question his methods, cannot believe what hit them as they suffered a 4-0 humiliation in front of their own fans by Aston Villa. They got a reprieve on Wednesday after the home replay cup win over Coventry.

Portsmouth vs Man. United. Pompey, now seven points adrift of fourth-from-bottom Middlesbrough, still have to find their rhythm since Harry Redknapp took over and made a big splash in the January transfer market.

With Redknapp in charge, the side claimed eight points from a maximum of 30.

The Red Devils, having returned to winning form after the upset at Blackburn with a commanding 4-2 win over Fulham, are hoping that Wayne Rooney will find his scoring boots. He has not scored in 11 league and cup matches.

Wigan vs Liverpool. Following that superb run of ten straight league wins, the Reds hit a sticky patch that saw them claiming a mere point from four Premiership matches.

In the 0-2 loss at Charlton in midweek Liverpool looked a jaded lot. Today, they will be involved in a north-west derby with the surprise packet of the division. The Reds will be without suspended goalkeeper Jose Reina and injured skipper Steven Gerrard.

Wigan have failed to win in their last three league games at the JJB Stadium.

Sunderland vs Tottenham. Black Cats' chairman Bob Murray has announced that he cannot confirm that manager Mick McCarthy will be at the helm next season.

In 17 Premiership matches, the Wearsiders have won only once.

Tottenham have the confidence needed to keep battling and finish top London club behind Chelsea in the division after the solid performance against Charlton that produced their eighth home win of the season.

After failing to find the net in the previous three league games, the Spurs hit three against their neighbours, with Jermaine Defoe scoring twice in one match for the first time this season.

Tottenham may have Mido back in squad after he was sent home for quarrelling with the Egypt coach in the Africa Cup.

Arsenal vs Bolton. The Gunners have a score to settle with Bolton who defeated them twice this season at the Reebok - 2-0 in the league and 1-0 in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Arsenal supporters, along with other followers of the English game, were glad to hear that Sol Campbell has returned to training after he went missing for a few days following his substitution in the home loss to West Ham.

Apparently, Campbell has been facing some uneasy moments outside the game. Dennis Bergkamp blasted the club's decision to sell Patrick Vieira to Juventus, when he remarked that his exit has left them 'in transition'.

Everton vs Blackburn. After a remarkable run of nine matches without defeat, Everton lost at Chelsea in the cup replay.

They can chalk up their first double of the season if they topple Blackburn today, having defeated them at Ewood Park 2-0 (McFadden, Arteta) in December.

In their last two away games, Blackburn lost to the two promoted clubs: 0-2 at West Brom in the league and 2-4 to West Ham in the FA Cup fourth round.

Man. City vs Charlton. Charlton, who beat Liverpool 2-0 in midweek, have failed to win in their last six away matches in the Premiership.

This negative sequence away from the Valley began after Charlton had won five straight league matches from the start of the campaign.

Earlier this season, City won 5-2 (Cole 2, Sinclair, Barton, Vassell - Bent D., Bothroyd) at Charlton. Yet in the only four times they met their opponents at home in the Premier League, they held the upperhand only once.

West Ham vs Birmingham. The Blues, safely through the last 16 of the FA Cup sequel to their win over Reading at St Andrews, have earned only one point in their last five away outings.

The Hammers have embarked on a sequence of six straight victories in which they scored 15 and conceded seven. The signing of Dean Ashton from Norwich will keep the other three main front men at Upton Park on their toes.

Ashton netted in his home debut against Sunderland.

Fulham vs West Brom. This will be an interesting clash between two sides keen to maintain their Premiership status.

Fulham have won eight league games in front of their own fans and only three other teams (Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal) boast better figures at home.

In their last visit to the capital, West Brom earned a draw at Charlton. That came after defeats at Chelsea and West Ham in the league.