Ian Holloway predicts Newcastle United to win the Championship this season and Aston Villa to finish 16th.
Ian Holloway
Former Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has told Sky Sports that Newcastle United will win the Championship this season.
Newcastle will feature in the Championship this season after getting relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2015-16 campaign.
Holloway believes that Rafael Benitez’s side will win the title in the second tier of English football and gain automatic promotion to the Premier League.
The former Millwall boss, though, does not have high hopes for Aston Villa. Like Newcastle, the Villans also got relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.
Many will expect Villa to finish at least in the top six of the Championship this campaign, but Holloway is not among them.
General view outside St James’ Park
“They have the biggest budget, arguably the biggest fan base and the most experienced and illustrious manager ever to have graced the Championship in Rafa Benitez,” Holloway told Sky Sports while predicting Newcastle to win the Championship this season. “It’s hard to look past them for the title.”
“They’re lucky I’ve put them this high,” Holloway told Sky Sports while predicting Villa to finish 16th in the Championship table this season.
“Last season Villa’s players felt the weight of the shirt, but not the importance of it. They didn’t respect the badge enough. I’m worried nothing will change.
“They could easily get relegated again. With the lack of investment and the lack of unity within the playing squad.”
Villa Park
Newcastle will start the 2016-17 Championship campaign as favourites to win the title.
The Magpies have a very strong squad, and it would be a massive surprise if Benitez’s side do not end up in the top two.
Villa fans should be optimistic ahead of this season, but the maximum they can hope for is a playoff spot.
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