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Opinion

Newcastle team v Aston Villa predicted with three changes for Eddie Howe

2 years ago
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Looking at this Newcastle team v Aston Villa.

Eddie Howe and his team looking to make it three Premier League wins in a row and make it eight weeks without a league defeat for Newcastle United.

Whatever happens, Newcastle will end the day still outside the relegation zone BUT a win would suddenly mean a four points gap for NUFC over the bottom three.

So what can we expect the Newcastle team v Aston Villa to be?

As a starting point…

This was the Newcastle team v Everton:

Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Targett, Shelvey, Willock, Joelinton, Fraser, Saint-Maximin, Wood

We already know that at least one change has to be made, whilst it could end up with a minimum of two enforced changes.

I think we will see three players drop out in total.

Dubravka is putting a nice little run together after a difficult return to the team initially, only three goals conceded in the last four PL matches and did well against Everton.

Matt Targett can’t play due to his loan status, whilst doubts over Kieran Trippier after he picked up a calf issue against Everton. Eddie Howe saying on Friday morning that he would make a decision late on, but I think surely a case of the Head Coach going to err on the side of caution, with a place on the bench at best for me. Trippier already emerging as a key player for the remainder of this season and he wasn’t spotted in the training images from Friday’s session, so I think we will see both full-backs changed.

For me, it will definitely be Javier Manquillo on the right and Dan Burn on the left. Whilst if Trippier does make it, I still think Burn at left-back for sure. Manquillo always give it his all but Burn hasn’t been signed to sit on the bench and playing the Spaniard (on Manquillo’s weaker side) ahead of him certainly won’t happen, unless the former Brighton player’s toe is still bothering him.

Schar and Lascelles set to continue, both gave spirited performances against Everton and whilst long-term may prove a different matter, that partnership to continue.

Eddie Howe was particularly positive about how well the midfield area worked out on Tuesday night but I still think we will see a change.

Bruno Guimaraes is too good to keep on the bench and you want your best players on the pitch.

A bit ironic that Joe Willock puts in his best performance of the season, in my opinion, but will be dropped to make way for the Brazil international.

I fancy Guimaraes and his compatriot Joelinton to be encouraged to be as mobile as possible and ensure we have numbers in the attacking third, with Shelvey playing deeper.

In 11 away matches, Villa have scored 11 and conceded 16. Altogether, the visitors have conceded 35 goals with only Southampton in the top 12 conceding more, the three conceded to Leeds the other night showed they can be got at, so I expect Eddie Howe to once again have his team pressing high.

The rest of the team looks straightforward with Wood leading the line and ASM as the main support, whilst Ryan Fraser scored a key goal and won the free-kick for the third against Everton, probably the best he has played this season.

Predicted Newcastle team v Aston Villa:

Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Targett, Shelvey, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Fraser, Saint-Maximin, Wood

So the three changes I think Eddie Howe will make.

Burn, Manquillo and Guimaraes in for Targett, Trippier and Willock.

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