1 year ago
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Howe v Emery: It is not lost on Eddie Howe that the only reason he was given the chance to manage Newcastle under their new ownership regime is because Unai Emery turned down the job having been approached first.
The subject was raised at Howe’s pre-match press conference and he was happy to concede that Emery’s decision not to leave Seville for Tyneside constituted a massive career break for him.
“Without a doubt it was [life changing],” he said. “I don’t really think back to that moment, maybe I should. But I very rarely tend to go back. I always believe your life takes the journey it is meant to go on. I was due to come here, that is what happened. But I am here because Unai turned the job down, so I’m delighted that he did.
“Fate has a strange way of working and now we come together. I have nothing but respect for the job he has done and the career he has had. But I’m very thankful he made that decision. You can see what I’m like week to week, I’m consistent and similar with my reactions.”
Aston Villa v Newcastle United line-ups
Aston Villa: Martinez, Young, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, Dendoncker, Ramsey, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Buendia, Watkins
Subs: Olsen, Sinisalo, Carlos, Traore, Chambers, Duran, Digne, Revan, Patterson
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes, Willock, Murphy, Isak, Joelinton
Subs: Dubravka, Lascelles, Wilson, Ritchie, Targett, Manquillo, Anderson, Longstaff
Team news
Leander Dendoncker is a surprise in place of Leon Bailey for Aston Villa, with Bertrand Traore having to settle for a place on the bench despite scoring in his past two appearances as a substitute.
Anthony Gordon starts in place of Sean Longstaff in Newcastle’s only change, while Callum Wilson is unlikely to be pleased with a place among the substitutes, with Alexander Isak getting the nod up front.
Today’s match officials
Referee: John Brooks.
Assistants: Matthew Wilkes and Mark Scholes.
Fourth official: Graham Scott.
VAR: Simon Hooper.
Early team news
Matty Cash, Philippe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara all remain sidelined for Aston Villa, while Leon Bailey has been ruled out of today’s game with a hamstring injury. Bertrand Traore is expected to deputise.
For Newcastle, Emil Krafth remains out with the ACL injury that almost certainly ended his season back in August, while Allan St Maximin is expeted to miss the next few weeks with a hamstring injury. Miguel Almiron may return this afternoon after five weeks out with a thigh injury.
Premier League: Aston Villa v Newcastle United
Villa Park is the setting for a what promises to be an intriguing top flight encounter between two of the division’s up-and-coming forces. In third place and looking set fair to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Newcastle go into this game on the back of five consecutive wins, that mid-season blip that took in the Carabao Cup final an increasingly diminishing spec in the rear view mirror.
Nine points behind them in sixth place, Aston Villa are also on a charge up the table, unbeaten in six and having won their past four games. Under Unai Emery, qualification for the Europa League looks eminently possible for resurgent Villa and should they win today, they could conceivably set their sights even higher.
Kick-off at Villa Park is at 12.30pm (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
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