Aston Villa vs Newcastle starting XI predicted as Duran starts and Emery receives injury boost
Aston Villa are targeting their first away league win since October on Boxing Day as Unai Emery's side face Newcastle at St. James' Park.
After beating Man City 2-1 in front of home fans on Saturday, Villa are looking to claim their fifth win in six matches in all competitions, but hosts Newcastle are in a strong vein of form themselves. The Toon have won their last three games, scoring a total 11 goals after beating Leicester City and Ipswich 4-0 either side of a 3-1 victory over Brentford in the Carabao Cup.
Villa lost twice to Newcastle last season, 5-1 on the opening weekend and then 3-1 in January, which was a result that ended the club's 16-game unbeaten run at home. Eddie Howe's side would leapfrog Villa if they managed to secure their eighth league win of the campaign on Thursday.
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Villa will be hoping to welcome Diego Carlos back into the matchday squad after he missed the win over City having taken a small knock in training last week. Jacob Ramsey, meanwhile, has returned to full training at Bodymoor Heath, but it is unclear whether he will make the squad having missed the last six weeks through a hamstring injury.
Emi Martinez will start in goal behind a defence which could be unchanged from the weekend. Lucas Digne should keep his place at left-back, with Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash starting too. Tyrone Mings could be in for a recall to the XI considering Alexander Isak's threat, but Pau Torres is expected to continue after playing his part in keeping Erling Haaland quiet last time out.
In midfield, Emery will likely keep the same double pivot of Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana, with Youri Tielemans operating in a more advanced role. John McGinn would start from the right again and Morgan Rogers off the left as Jhon leads the line once again.
The Colombia international has started Villa's last three league games and doesn't deserve to be replaced in the XI after scoring in each of the six starts he has made in all competitions. Emery can't afford to take him out of the side with a record like that. Only Chris Wood (five) has scored more winning goals in the Premier League this season than the four Duran has managed so far this term, while the Colombian has the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the competition this term, scoring a goal every 80 minutes
Villa predicted XI vs Newcastle: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne, Kamara, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Rogers, Duran.
