Former Leeds United boss Steve Evans is convinced Newcastle United will win the Championship this season, while he has also tipped Aston Villa for a top six finish.
Evans managed in the Championship at Elland Road last term and guided Leeds to a finish of 13th despite only being tasked with avoiding relegation.
It was not good enough though for chairman Massimo Cellino and Evans was shown the door in the summer.
A keen student of the second tier, the Scot cannot look beyond Rafael Benitez's Newcastle when it comes to the division's winners, while he has also backed another freshly relegated side, Aston Villa, to make the playoffs.
"At the start of the season, I said Newcastle United would be champions and, despite a poor start, they are now up and running in the Championship", Evans wrote in the Football League Paper.
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"Those magnificent fans deserve nothing other than the Premier League – they will be back!
"Aston Villa have also added some real quality players in the last few weeks.
"It's certainly going to be top six for them", Evans added.
Newcastle have moved up to second in the Championship table and sit four points behind leaders Huddersfield Town after six games.
Aston Villa meanwhile are still just 17th, with six points from six games.
Villa played out a 2-2 home draw against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
