Aston Villa face Newcastle Utd in the Premier League on Tuesday night, and here’s how Unai Emery’s starting line-up could look for the encounter.
Villa returned to action after an extended break last Friday as we played out a goalless draw with Chelsea in our FA Cup tie, with a replay set to be added to our schedule for next month.
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It’s hoped that although we were strong defensively in keeping our third consecutive clean sheet coupled with a stand-out performance from Emi Martinez, we can start to rediscover our rhythm and clinical attacking play to find the right balance again.
The visitors will present a tough challenge despite their recent poor league form, while we continue to try and solidify our place in the top four in the standings. A win will hopefully extend the gap over Tottenham and the rest of the chasing pack.
As per Emery’s press conference ahead of the Chelsea tie, Jhon Duran is expected to be absent again in midweek, while we’re unlikely to see Lucas Digne as he continues to step up his recovery work with a return to group training this coming week.
There’s less certainty over Pau Torres, as it remains to be seen if he’s able to at least make the matchday squad now, or if the Villa medical and coaching staff will opt to not take any risks with the Spaniard having already suffered a setback with his ankle issue.
In contrast, there should be good news via Jacob Ramsey, as Emery hinted that he could be involved against the Magpies, albeit given he had a hamstring problem and is unlikely to be anywhere near fully fit yet, he’ll hopefully strengthen our bench.
“Jhon Duran is now injured, but I am happy with him,” Emery told the media last Thursday, as per VillaTV. “The last action against Everton he was injured. For the next weeks he is not going to be available.
“Lucas Digne and Pau Torres are still injured. Lucas is close to starting with the group, maybe in one week. Pau is progressing well, he starting training with us and ready to play, but he stopped again and now we are being careful.
“Ramsey too, it is a hamstring at the beginning we were thinking three weeks, but he could be back next week if he progresses well. Maybe Tuesday, but for tomorrow maybe not.”
With that injury news in mind, Emiliano Martinez will continue between the posts, while we could see some consistency in defence with Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Clement Lenglet and Alex Moreno continuing.
Diego Carlos is of course an option and perhaps Emery will feel we’ll need his composure and technical ability to help with our build-up play and to break Newcastle down, but Cash offers more energy and impetus down the right flank, and so it will be interesting decision as to what the Villa boss goes with.
We could see the same midfield as at Chelsea too, with John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans looking strong as a quartet in the second half last time out, and they do offer an important balance and control when in good form.
With Moussa Diaby struggling though, Leon Bailey will be pushing to come back into the starting XI to support Ollie Watkins in the final third, albeit we could see him operate on the right wing with McGinn in a more advanced, central role.
Nicolo Zaniolo will hope to force his way into that equation at some point, while youngsters Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Tim Iroegbunam will hopefully make the bench and continue their integration into the Villa line-up. Ultimately though, whoever gets the nod, it’s hoped that we can secure all three points.