Head coach Eddie Howe believes Newcastle United can still achieve "great things" despite the constraints of financial rules as his side look to upset the Premier League's status quo. But both Newcastle and Sunday's opponents Aston Villa have bucked that trend in recent years with the eighth and sixth-biggest salary bills in the top flight respectively. Newcastle qualified for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025, while Aston Villa followed suit in 2024. "People much cleverer than me will say that the wage bill follows the league position, but I can't think that way," said the Newcastle boss. "We have got to think differently and find ways to still win games to upset the status quo and finish as high as we can.

Source: BBC January 24, 2026 23:42 UTC