The dreaded international break is finally over, but we must wait until Monday night in our bid to make it three wins on the spin.
Bruce returns to Villa Park with a point to prove just one year on from his sacking. He’ll be in a confident mood based on the form table, with us taking 7 points from a possible 9 just as Villa have lost three on the spin, however I fully expect this to be a very tough game.
We were all over a West Ham side who played into our hands in our last away game, but I expect Villa to be much more competitive, energetic and organised.
They’ve have Jack Grealish back – their talisman and key creator in midfield – and look set to field a full strength side for the first time in weeks, so they’ll be up for this one in a bid to get back on track under the lights at Villa Park.
Predicted XI
There’s been some mixed injury news over the international break, but we still look set to field a strong side come Monday night.
Jamaal Lascelles is out and Clark may join him on the sidelines if he fails to recover from a hamstring issue over the weekend, but with Schar and Lejeune back in contention and the reliable Fernandez and Dummett on hand, Bruce will still have at least FOUR capable centre-backs to choose from.
I personally can’t see him risking Clark and think it would be unnecessary to throw Lejeune straight back in after 7 months out, especially when Dummett is more than capable of coming in at the left-side of a back three. Elsewhere, I’d expect Schar to come back in, with the brilliant Fernandez a ready-made replacement for Lascelles in the middle.
In midfield, with Sean Longstaff suspended and Shelvey in good form, I’d expect the latter to partner Isaac Hayden once again.
As for the front three, we’ve seen positive signs from them all in recent weeks. They’re starting to combine well on the counter and carry a consistent threat, but all are in desperate need of a goal. Let’s hope that arrives for at least one of them on Monday night!
Preferred NUFC XI – (5-2-2-1) – Dubravka – Yedlin, Schar, Fernandez, Dummett, Willems – Hayden, Shelvey – Almiron, Saint-Maximin – Joelinton.
The Opposition
Here’s a few ‘ones to watch’ in Dean Smith’s Villa side:
John McGinn – The Scottish international looks capable of playing in a top six side for me, being tenacious off the ball but both creative and capable of scoring on it. Few players have had more shots outside the box than him this season, so Shelvey can’t afford a lax performance here.
Wesley Moraes – The big Brazilian was a target of Rafa Benitez’s before he completed a £20m move to Villa, but he’s been a bit of an enigma so far this season. At times he’s looked unplayable, with his hold up play, power and work ethic outstanding in their Monday night win over Everton earlier in the season and 5-1 win over Norwich, yet he’s then looked sluggish and sloppy (and lacking a footballing brain) the other times we’ve seen him.
Jack Grealish – They’ve missed him badly over the past few weeks, losing three on the spin in his absence, so his return will be a huge boost. He’s been their talisman over the past 18 months and has started this season with 2 goals and 3 assists, creating more chances per 90 minutes than any other player outside the top six.
Predicted Villa XI (4-3-3): Heaton – Guilbert, Engels, Mings, Targett – Douglas Luiz, Nakamba, McGinn – El Ghazi, Wesley, Grealish.
Team news
Jamaal Lascelles has been ruled out with a knee fracture, Matt Ritchie is still not read, Sean Longstaff is suspended for the final time and Ciaran Clark may be touch or go after picking up a hamstring issue with Ireland.
On the plus side, Fabian Schar and Florian Lejeune have been declared fit to return.
For the home side, captain Jack Grealish looks set to return after a month on the sidelines, while first team regulars Tom Heaton (GK), Bjorn Engels (CB) and Matt Targett (LB) have also been declared fit to start.
Prediction
I’m wary of this game.
We have the form and the momentum, but Villa have been competitive against Man City and Liverpool in two of their last three and are welcoming back several key player ahead of a game they’ll be desperate to win after slipping to 17th.
We’ll be confident and motivated to keep the good run going, but Villa will almost certainly make us work for it MUCH more than a woeful West Ham did in our last away outing.
I think they’ll beat us if we’re not ‘at it’, but I have faith in our defence and believe we’ll cause them real problems out wide.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
Did you read that off the side of a bus mate? ?
Sharpy17(Quote)
No.
sidekick(Quote)
Olly: I already did the “view from the other side”!!!
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Gazza was on Sky when I was back talking about Spurs. He didn’t sound pissed up but did sound slurry at 9 am. Maybe he was pissed.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
That is probably the best bench we have ever had.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
So here we go…
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Jesus, we are getting battered at the moment… ??
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Pathetic.
Oh and sidekick is correct
Stuart79(Quote)
Ffffffffuck, well that was coming… ??????
Dubai Toon(Quote)
FFS, That’s on Yeddy that. he is such a **** defender
kimtoon(Quote)
******* ….. we are sh.ite
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Standard toon.
Stuart79(Quote)
I give up
Effing depressing .
kimtoon(Quote)
Hate Villa
fans are by and large T wats
kimtoon(Quote)
Mistake to even pick Shelvey never mind making him captain. We are crying out for Lejeune who can at least pass a ball to our player.
Groucho(Quote)
I am not going to join the general criticism of the front three. Shearer would have difficulty scoring with the way we play. We cannot make a simple pass. Whatever happened to pass and move? No faith in Bruce I’m afraid.
Groucho(Quote)
Jesus wept!
Stuart79(Quote)
We could play for days and not get anywhere near scoring a goal. We had an opportunity to go into top 10 but we are just so sh.it.
Dubai Toon(Quote)
Usual service resumes with our shower up front!! – let’s hope Gayle takes his chance ??????
Sharpy17(Quote)
No words… ??????????
Dubai Toon(Quote)
I’m looking now and looking at our bench and thing Carroll, Astu and Gayle..: How Many goals? How defenders don’t score and we don’t..
Stuart79(Quote)
A 2 week international break to work on improving our forwards – we could have had 2 months – it’s not that they don’t get chances created for them – they can’t finish!!!.
If our defence don’t score, who will???.
Better in the 2nd half, but we were already 2 down by then – and we could play another 4 hours and still not score. Very disappointing!!!
Sharpy17(Quote)
That’s 90 mins of my life i won’t get back
kimtoon(Quote)
Yep Kimtoon. It was like Tony and Cheryl Blair having sex on a wet Wednesday in January.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
Thanks Eric, that’s an image i can do without.
kimtoon(Quote)
It really is worrying just how ineffective our front 3 are. I know Joel and ASM are new this season and Almiron only came in back end of last season – but that’s 23 games for him now and he’s contributed NOTHING towards a single goal in that time.
I have tried to make excuses for Joelinton – but it’s harder than ever to after tonight – he was awful!!
ASM was still trying stupid tricks out on the wing when nowt was on!!, too busy ******* showboating – score a goal or 2 and you can get away with it.
I’m bored with all 3 now – but I’m afraid Almiron HAS to come out of the side now. He’s simply not good enough.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Oh and it’s Man City next by the way
Sharpy17(Quote)
That was depressing.
Stuart79(Quote)
I think it’s time Atsu and Gayle get a game instead of Jolinton and Almiron. How must the attacking players feel who can’t get a game in this team?
Stuart79(Quote)
Very very poor game. We need a change up front and fully agree with comments above. Not sure that our bench is much better though to be honest… ?
Dubai Toon(Quote)