Dugout Discussion
16 August 2025 696 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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A fixture that tends to produce goals gets the day’s Premier League action underway.

The last six meetings between Aston Villa and Newcastle United have seen 25 goals scored, all of them big wins for one side or the other.

Kick-off in this latest contest between the Magpies and Villans is at 12:30 BST.

Aston Villa are without their goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for their season-opener.

The Argentina international is suspended after his red card in Gameweek 38 of last season, so Marco Bizot makes his competitive debut in goal.

After a late pre-season injury scare, Morgan Rogers is fit to start for the hosts today.

But Donyell Malen, who had a strong pre-season, is only on the bench. He had been featuring more up front over the summer, so perhaps Unai Emery sees him as Ollie Watkins‘ deputy.

New recruit Evann Guessand is a substitute, too.

Newcastle are, of course, without the wantaway Alexander Isak this afternoon.

Anthony Gordon, who, like Rogers, suffered a minor ankle injury late in the summer, leads the line in Isak’s absence.

Only one of the Magpies’ new signings gets a start, meanwhile.

Anthony Elanga is preferred to Jacob Murphy on the right flank, while fellow transfer window captures Malik Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale and young winger Park Seung-soo are on the bench.

Lewis Hall and Sven Botman have had their minutes managed over an injury-affected summer and are among the substitutes, too.

Jacob Ramsey doesn’t feature for either side: he’s on the cusp of joining Newcastle from Villa.

LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Bizot, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Onana, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Watkins.

Subs: Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Buendia, Malen, Jimoh-Alboba, Iling-Junior, Guessand, Wright.

Newcastle United XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento, Tonali, Joelinton, Guimaraes, Barnes, Gordon, Elanga.

Subs: Hall, Botman, Thiaw, Krafth, Osula, Murphy, Seung-soo, Miley, Ramsdale.


696 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Hermansen starts for West Ham

  2. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Dubravka starting is a real shame. Could have caught a lot of BBers out

  3. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Tottenham team to face Burnley:

    Vicario, Spence, Van de Ven, Romero, Pedro Porro, Bergvall, Gray, Sarr, Johnson, Kudus, Richarlison.

    Burnley team to face Tottenham:

    Dubravka, Walker, Hartman, Esteve, Foster, Anthony, Ekdal, Sonne, Cullen, Hannibal, Laurent

    1. mookie
      • 12 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Oh dear! Was so close to picking Bentancur, luckily went with Malen. 😎

  4. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Tottenham XI: Vicario, Richarlison, Gray, Bergvall, Romero, Kudus, Johnson, Porro, Spence, Sarr, Van de Ven.
    Burnley XI: Dubravka, Walker, Hartman, Esteve, Foster, Anthony, Ekdal, Sonne, Cullen, Hannibal, Laurent.

    Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Seelt, Ballard, Reinaldo, Sadiki, Xhaka, Diarra, Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra
    West Ham XI: Hermansen, Todibo, Kilman, Aguerd, Wan-Bissaka, Rodriguez, Ward-Prowse, Diouf, Bowen, Paqueta, Fullkrug

    BHA vs Fulham awaited

    1. Thanos
      • 4 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Brighton XI: Verbuggen, Dunk, van Hecke, Wieffer, De Cuyper, O'Riley, Ayari, Baleba, Minteh, Mitoma, Rutter.

      Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Anderson, Cuenca, Lukic, Berge, Wilson, Iwobi, Jimenez, King.

  5. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Let's go Fullkrug, De Cuyper and VdV!

    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      And Bowen, Spence and Rutter

  6. JBG
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Looks like Rutter CF for Brighton

    1. Feanor
      • 17 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Imagine paying 2.5 more for Wirtz

    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Whoop

  7. Mother Farke
    • 2 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Watkins xG.

  8. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Yesss. I have a keeper!

    Went Kelleher & Dubravka like a moron. Jack Russell behaviour.

  9. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Le Fee benched

  10. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa RC 😆

  11. Zilla
    • 8 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa RC

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 6 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      xD

  12. Ze_Austin
    • 7 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    I have Konsa 🙂

    1. TiAgoFPL
      • 6 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Me too

  13. MBK 42
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    WATKINS HAD A SHOT

  14. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Anyone got Konsa?

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 7 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Me! Fun times

      1. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        10 months, 14 days ago

        me too...on the bench, but needed him next week 😀

    2. TiAgoFPL
      • 6 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Yes

  15. F4L
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    konsa red card

  16. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa 😆

  17. Feanor
    • 17 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa red

  18. GAMBIT
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Easy red

  19. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 13 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Lol @ Konsa.

    Boring and pointless pick.

  20. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa pulls him back

    Soft.

    Red card

  21. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa keeps his CS?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Yeah

      For now

      But future goals count because he is absent in this match now

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        10 months, 14 days ago

        Surely not? If sent off they don’t get the clean sheet do they??

    2. F4L
      • 11 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      not if New score

    3. JBG
      • 8 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Unless they concede.. 15..

    4. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      15 years?

  22. Billy Whizz
    • 2 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa lol

  23. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 14 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    lol Konsa so rubbish, glad didn’t fall for that trap.

  24. F4L
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    why do that, watkins blank looking inevitable

  25. Maeki2
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa 23% ownership

    1. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 14 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Wow that is high, surprised.

    2. chocolove
      • 15 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      Lovely

  26. tangtastic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    nailed on red

  27. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    As a Villa fan and FPL owner, bugger right off Konsa. Useless.

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      10 months, 14 days ago

      I blame Emery. He plays too high a defensive line given the quality of the Villa defence.

  28. x.jim.x
    • 11 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Konsa off hahaha

  29. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    I thought Konsa was a 2-point merchant, turns out he isn't

  30. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    10 months, 14 days ago

    Villa are trash