United must hit the ground running to set tone for season

MAGPIES CAN'T AFFORD TO SLEEPWALK INTO CAMPAIGN

- By CIARAN KELLY Football writer

AH, fixture release day. When all 20 Premier League clubs learn when they are going to play each other home and away. Can you really read too much into it?

In this case, yes. If the 2025-26 edition has taught us anything, it's that Newcastle United really are going to have to hit the ground running.

Newcastle simply can’t afford to sleepwalk into the new campaign when the Magpies face Aston Villa at Villa Park on the opening day, champions Liverpool at St James' Park the following week and newly-promoted Leeds United at a bouncing Elland Road before August is even out.

The opening day at Villa Park, in particular, will be a game that both sides will look at as a potential tone setter.

Aston Villa need no added motivation, after the Villains fumed over the disallowed final-day goal against Manchester United last month, which would have sent Unai Emery's side above Newcastle in the live table, while the black and whites will be desperate to lay down a marker at an unhappy hunting ground.

Newcastle, after all, have won just once at Villa Park since 2014 and the players need no reminding of that.