SMART ALEX IS THE MAN

Swede can strike again for in-form Newcastle

NEWCASTLE’S Champions League aspirations will be given a real test today when they tackle Unai Emery’s high-flying Aston Villa.

The Villa Park encounter is a clash between two of the Premier League’s most in-form sides, with Villa also chasing a place in Europe for the first time since 2010-11.

Emery has turned the club’s fortunes around and they are now aiming to end a 25-year wait for a fifth successive league victory.

But their opponents will be just as confident, with five league wins in a row already under their belts, including their last three away games.

Eddie Howe’s men are the favourites at 11-10, with Villa – perhaps surprisingly – as big as 53-20 with Unibet and the draw around 12-5.

I reckon this one will be as close as it gets and the draw seems the sensible bet.

It’s worth noting that Newcastle have had more 0-0 draws than any other top-flight side this term, and four of those six blank encounters have come away from home.

But I can’t see this one ending without a goal. Both sides have scored at least two in each game of their recent winning runs so I’d be tempted to take a punt on the 2-2 draw here at bet365’s 16-1.

Newcastle have two forwards in a hot streak of goalscoring form with Swedish ace Alexander Isak bagging five in his last five league games and team-mate Callum Wilson claiming three in three.

For huge odds there’s 50-1 on offer at Sky Bet that both of those two score plus Villa’s John McGinn and Tyrone Mings are carded, which may well be worth a small punt. McGinn already has five yellow cards this term and Mings has four.

Of Isak and Wilson, I reckon the Swede is the most likely to find the net. Since getting back to full fitness after a long injury lay-off, he’s been on top form. Isak is evens to score at any time or 3-1 to get the first.

But neither Toon forward is a match for Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who has only failed to score in two of their last 11 games.

Watkins has bagged nine in that run and he’ll be the man the Toon defence fear. The England international is 2-1 to net at any time and a big 6-1 to score the first goal – while it’s worth a bet on both Watkins and Isak to score at 11-2.

There’s another Sky Bet Requestabet that looks interesting at odds of 18-1 – Watkins to score, four corners for each side and Joelinton to be carded – the Toon forward has picked up a yellow in five of his last seven starts.

Finally, for a chance of another big payout, back Watkins to score the first goal in a 2-2 draw for a scorecast that pays around 70-1.

In Scotland today there’s plenty to play for in the Edinburgh derby with 6-5 shots Hibs having lost their last four league games and visitors Hearts crashing in six of their last seven in all competitions.

It’s a run that cost Hearts boss Robbie Neilson his job, so stand-in Stevie Naismith must now try to stop the rot.

The Jam Tarts are 2-1 for the win but I reckon this could also prove a stalemate at odds of 5-2. Take Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet to net first in a 1-1 draw for a 22-1 scorecast.