Newcastle United vs Aston Villa team news: Howe and Emery name lineups in Premier League

Eddie Howe and Unai Emery have named their starting lineups and substitutes ahead of this afternoon’s Premier League encounter at St. James’ Park.

Aston Villa travel northeast with lofty ambitions to end a 17-match run without a victory away at Newcastle United. The Magpies have won the last four times they have hosted the Villans, and by a hefty 13-1 aggregate scoreline.

Emery will be desperate to end the St. James’ hoodoo but it will be tricky as Newcastle have won three of their last four Premier League matches and they brushed aside PSV Eindhoven 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.

Despite Marco Bizot’s outstanding performance in the 1-0 victory at Fenerbahce in the Europa League, Emiliano Martinez returns to the starting XI. Emery may have been tempted to start Bizot, but Martinez regains the first-choice goalkeeper spot.

In a rather controversial turn of events, Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott is in the matchday squad for the first time since November. The England Under-21 international has played on merely five occasions so far this season. Villa can play him four more times before his £35 million obligation to buy clause kicks in.

For Newcastle, Villa academy product Jacob Ramsey is on the bench today. The 24-year-old had only just completed his transfer to the Toon when the two clubs met in a 0-0 draw at Villa Park back in August.

Newcastle vs Aston Villa lineups

Without further ado, here’s how both teams shape up in full today.

Newcastle XI: Pope (GK); Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Miley, Tonali, Joelinton; Barnes, Gordon, Wissa.

Newcastle subs: Ramsdale (GK), Shahar, Burn, A. Murphy, Ramsey, Willock, Osula, Woltemade, Elanga.

Villa XI: Martinez (GK); Cash, Konsa, Pau, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Sancho, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins.

Villa subs: Bizot (GK), Lindelof, Digne, Mings, Elliott, Hemmings, Bailey, Bogarde, Guessand.