Aston Villa end 15-year wait with high-profile Premier League home opener

The Magpies will visit Villa Park to face Unai Emery’s men on Saturday, August 16 for a 12.30pm kick-off, broadcast live on TNT Sports.

It is the first time in eight years Villa have started a campaign in front of home supporters.

The last time they started a season at Villa Park, in 2020 against Sheffield United, the match was played behind closed doors due Covid-19 restrictions.

Prior to then, their most recent home opener with fans allowed inside the stadium was a 1-1 draw with Hull to start the Championship season in 2017. 

The last time they began a Premier League season at Villa Park with supporters present was in 2010, when they defeated West Ham 3-0, five days after Martin O’Neill resigned as manager.

Newcastle’s visit is an early clash between two teams who will again expect to be competing for Champions League football.

The sides finished fifth and sixth last season, separated only by goal difference, with the Magpies pipping Villa to a place in Europe’s elite club competition.

Villa then head to Brentford on Saturday, August 23 for their first away match of the new campaign, before finishing the opening month with a visit from Crystal Palace, a team they could not beat in four attempts last season, on August 30.

Other notable early fixtures see Emery’s team visit Sunderland’s Stadium of Light for the first time since 2018 on Saturday, September 20.

A testing festive period, meanwhile, has Villa facing a quartet of likely rivals in the race for European football.

Villa host Manchester United on Saturday December 20, before spending Christmas in London with dates at Chelsea on December 27 and Arsenal on December 30.

They then host Nottingham Forest, who finished one place below them in the table last season, on Saturday January 3. 

For the second season running, meanwhile, they face a midweek trip to Crystal Palace, heading there on Wednesday, January 7. Villa also visit Brighton in midweek for the second consecutive campaign, visiting the Amex on Wednesday, December 3.

The first West Midlands derby of the season against Wolves is at home on Saturday, November 29, with the return at Molineux scheduled for February 28.

Villa’s finish to the season could hardly be tougher on paper, as they face the two teams who have shared the last eight Premier League titles.

Emery’s men host reigning champions Liverpool on Sunday May 17, before travelling to Manchester City on Sunday May 24.

All fixtures are subject to change, depending on TV selections. 

Full Aston Villa fixture list:

Sat Aug 16 Newcastle United H

Sat Aug 23 Brentford A

Sat Aug 30 Crystal Palace H

Sat Sep 13 Everton A

Sat Sep 20 Sunderland A

Sat Sep 27 Fulham H

Sat Oct 4 Burnley H

Sat Oct 18 Tottenham Hotspur A

Sat Oct 25 Manchester City H

Sat Nov 1 Liverpool A

Sat Nov 8 Bournemouth H

Sat Nov 22 Leeds United A

Sat Nov 29 Wolverhampton Wanderers H

Wed Dec 3 Brighton & Hove Albion A

Sat Dec 6 Arsenal H

Sat Dec 13 West Ham United A

Sat Dec 20 Manchester United H

Sat Dec 27 Chelsea A

Tue Dec 30 Arsenal A

Sat Jan 3 Nottingham Forest H

Wed Jan 7 Crystal Palace A

Sat Jan 17 Everton H

Sat Jan 24 Newcastle United A

Sat Jan 31 Brentford H

Sat Feb 7 Bournemouth A

Wed Feb 11 Brighton & Hove Albion H

Sat Feb 21 Leeds United H

Sat Feb 28 Wolverhampton Wanderers A

Wed Mar 4 Chelsea H

Sat Mar 14 Manchester United A

Sat Mar 21 West Ham United H

Sat Apr 11 Nottingham Forest A

Sat Apr 18 Sunderland H

Sat Apr 25 Fulham A

Sat May 2 Tottenham Hotspur H

Sat May 9 Burnley A

Sun May 17 Liverpool H

Sun May 24 Manchester City A