3 huge EFL games to keep an eye on this weekend

Newcastle United vs Aston Villa

There’s a clash between two of last season’s relegated sides at St James’ Park on Monday night (8pm kick-off), although they have fared rather differently in the Championship this season.

Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle top the division having won 21 of their 31 league games, and go into this one on a six-game unbeaten streak in the league, winning four.

However, they missed the chance to extend their lead at the top on Tuesday after drawing 2-2 at Norwich, although they’ll fancy their chances against a free-falling Aston Villa side on Monday.

Steve Bruce’s men started 2017 in ninth and just five points off the top six, but six defeats in seven and just one point from 24 has seen their play-off hopes all but extinguished, and has actually brought the very genuine threat of relegation back into the equation.

Villa are just seven points clear of the bottom three and, to make matters worse, they have lost their last four Championship away games, and won just twice on the road all season.

Yet, if there’s a game to get things going again, it’s at the top side in the division, so expect a fascinating encounter between the two sides at St James’ Park on Monday.