Wahile Newcastle will welcome Joelinton back from suspension; however, the versatile Brazilian has yet to fully recuperate from a facial injury that required stitches following last week’s cup triumph against Brentford, so his availability is uncertain. Joe Willock should be healthy despite picking up an injury at Ipswich, but first-choice goalkeeper Nick Pope remains absent, as do Callum Wilson, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, and Emil Krafth. With Wilson out, Alexander Isak takes the lead again, having scored 23 Premier League goals in 2024, trailing just Erling Haaland (26) and Cole Palmer (25). Meanwhile, the only Newcastle players with more in a single year are Alan Shearer (27 in 2002) and Andrew Cole (24 in 1994).
Jacob Murphy has supplied two assists against Brentford, scored twice against Leicester, and assisted on two goals against Ipswich in his last three league games, indicating that he will join Anthony Gordon in Isak’s supporting cast. Aston Villa’s attacking lineup is less clear, as Ollie Watkins may be recalled after starting several games on the bench; however, Jhon Duran has already scored four Premier League winning goals this season and has the division’s best minutes-per-goal ratio (one every 80 minutes). Both have seven top-flight goals this season, but Unai Emery has been hesitant to pair them, preferring greater presence in midfield, where Amadou Onana might rejoin Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans.
To Emery’s joy, the visitors have practically a complete squad available, as Leon Bailey has recently recovered from his latest muscular ailment and Jacob Ramsey has resumed training; however, the latter will not play on Thursday. Newcastle United’s likely starting lineup: Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Willock; Murphy, Isak, and Gordon Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Onana; McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers; Duran. Villa, a lesser power away from home, might suddenly catch up with their hosts in that dubious standing, as the Magpies are riding high after regaining form in the final third.
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