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Villa's firepower to increase to season's end
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No arrivals equals no silverware in North-East
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City and Spurs to improve following January activity
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Busy Villa backed for top six at 7/2
Villa had a hectic January, bringing in five new players and moving on three, the most pertinent of which is their selling of prolific supersub Jhon Duran to Al Nassr for £71m.
Of the incoming quintet, Axel Disasi (loan) and full-back Andres Garcia will be entrusted to strengthen a back-line that has conceded 1.5 goals per 90 this term.
The Midlands giants are 3/14.00 to win to nil against struggling Spurs in the cup this Sunday.
But it's their business up top that piques the most interest, with Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Ascensio potentially forming an entirely new forward line.
Malen has impressed in his two cameos to date since joining from Dortmund. He offers a dynamism down the right that has been consistently lacking from Leon Bailey.
Rashford has something to prove and the quality to do it. The same goes for Ascencio, capped 38 times for Spain.
Add Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey into the mix and Unai Emery now has a plethora of exciting, attacking options to improve upon a Villa strike-rate that has disappointed to date. Of the top 10 sides, they have scored the fewest goals, their 34 tally 32% down on this stage last season.
If Emery gets his combinations right, and two of his three new signings hit the ground running, the Villans should strongly be fancied for a top six finish.
Back Villa to finish top six
Newcastle refuse to twist
Contrasting with Villa's activity, the Magpies are going with what they've got until May and an argument could be made that doing so is fine, if not ideal.
Newcastle have notably perked up since mid-December largely due to Alexander Isak's goal-scoring exploits. Additionally, Eddie Howe's men take a two-goal lead into their League Cup semi-final second-leg with Arsenal on Wednesday.

Yet, back-to-back home defeats in the league smacks of problems persisting from a three-month period earlier this campaign that saw them pick up just 10 points from 33.
Moreover, an over-reliance on Isak and Anthony Gordon is extremely risky, with loss of form or injury always possible. Without the impetus of a new face, another trophyless season could beckon in the North-East.
Back Newcastle to win no trophies in 2024/25
Man City address midfield abyss
In Nico Gonzalez, City have finally recruited a much-needed midfielder, not a direct Rodri replacement as such but at least someone with pace and stamina to partly solve a pressing concern.
With Kovacic marauding forward like a headless chicken at times, and Ilkay Gundogan a spent force, City have been highly susceptible to the most routine of transitions. We saw it at the Emirates on Sunday. We see it every week.
To what extent one player fixes a structural issue remains to be seen but certainly with greater discipline and energy in central areas we can expect fewer examples of their defence being isolated. That alone makes their 4/71.57 on a top-four finish a nigh-on certainty to land.
Add in Haaland rediscovering his scoring boots - firing six in six - and the possible impact of another new face, Omar Marmoush, alongside him and suddenly our thoughts turn to City being hard-wired to come good down the final straight.
Back City to finish top two
Spurs recovery by numbers
It's crazy to think that we are in February and Spurs are a lengthy 11/43.75 to finish 2024/25 in the top half of the table. Such has been the depths of their sustained crisis.
Confidence has drained away and individuals suffered poor form but the elephant in the room has always been their costly number of injuries, especially at the back.
The arrival of Kevin Danso therefore is a welcomed one, the Lens centre-back excelling this season in Ligue 1. His 3.4 aerial duels won per 90, as well as 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions compares favourably to anyone, while 2.3 fouls per game suggests he can toughen up a porous rearguard.
Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel, meanwhile, offers up an x-factor that has sorely been missing from Tottenham's stale attack. Will Ange Postecoglou's men be transformed from these two additions? Very likely not. But it's entirely reasonable to expect improvement.
Back Spurs to finish top half of the table