Two of the Championship’s biggest sides go head-to-head on Saturday evening when Aston Villa host Newcastle United, and eyes will be on their new two big money strikers.
Aston Villa’s Ross McCormack celebrates scoring their first goal
The clubs have faced each other 150 times in top-flight history, making this a mainstay fixture of the game in this country. But this will be just the fifth meeting between the two in the second tier, and the first in almost 80 years.
Both sides have invested heavily in the summer after their relegation’s from the Premier League but which side have the better forward?
Aston Villa signed Ross McCormack from Fulham for £12 million (Mail), while Newcastle United spent £10 million (Sky Sports) on the services of former Crystal Palace man Dwight Gayle.
McCormack has played in the Championship all his career apart from two seasons with Motherwell although the 30 year-old has a name as a prolific striker in the second tier. He scored 21 goals last season for a struggling Fulham side which no doubt persuaded Di Matteo and the Villa board to pay the money they did.
Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle scores their fourth goal
As for Gayle it was a late surge into the professional game after coming through non-league football, although his time at Peterborough United where he scored 13 goals in 29 games persuaded Crystal Palace to sign him. However, a lack of games in South London opened the door for Rafael Benitez to secure his service.
For McCormack he’s the go to man for a young Villa side with bundles of potential who are still coming to terms with the demands of the division, and with his experience he will need to guide this team.
Gayle has been given the iconic number nine shirt at St. James’, which certainly holds a huge amount of prestige given the previous greats to have worn the shirt such as Jackie Milburn, Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.
Newcastle’s Dwight Gayle celebrates scoring their third goal
As for the former Crystal Palace man, his life in the North-East has started well scoring four goals in six games while McCormack has netted twice in seven.
For Roberto Di Matteo’s side it will be a chance to reignite their start to the season and start to find their way near the play-off and automatic places although for Benitez it’s an opportunity to get another three points on the board after last weeks dissapointing home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Both forwards will certainly know the importance of their place in the side, the two strikers were bought to fire the Magpies and Villa back to the top flight, it’s games such as Saturday where they’ll be hoping to be the main man.
Ross McCormack celebrates with team mates after he scores Aston Villa’s first goal
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