Dugout Discussion
16 August 2025 696 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

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
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Hermansen starts for West Ham

  2. Deulofail
    • 10 Years
    8 months, 23 hours 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
    8 months, 23 hours 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
      8 months, 23 hours ago

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

  4. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    8 months, 23 hours 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
      8 months, 23 hours 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
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Let's go Fullkrug, De Cuyper and VdV!

    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      And Bowen, Spence and Rutter

  6. JBG
    • 7 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Looks like Rutter CF for Brighton

    1. Feanor
      • 16 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Imagine paying 2.5 more for Wirtz

    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 16 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Whoop

  7. Mother Farke
    • 2 Years
    8 months, 23 hours ago

    Watkins xG.

  8. Moon Dog
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Yesss. I have a keeper!

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

    • TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Le Fee benched

    • Thanos
      • 4 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa RC 😆

    • Zilla
      • 8 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa RC

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 6 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        xD

    • Ze_Austin
      • 7 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      I have Konsa 🙂

      1. TiAgoFPL
        • 6 Years
        8 months, 22 hours ago

        Me too

    • MBK 42
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      WATKINS HAD A SHOT

    • tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Anyone got Konsa?

      1. Ze_Austin
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        Me! Fun times

        1. tiger
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          8 months, 23 hours ago

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

      2. TiAgoFPL
        • 6 Years
        8 months, 22 hours ago

        Yes

    • F4L
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      konsa red card

    • The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa 😆

    • Feanor
      • 16 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa red

    • GAMBIT
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Easy red

    • Count of Monte Hristo
      • 12 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Lol @ Konsa.

      Boring and pointless pick.

    • AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa pulls him back

      Soft.

      Red card

    • Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa keeps his CS?

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        Yeah

        For now

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

        1. Scapegoat Salah
          • 9 Years
          8 months, 23 hours ago

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

      2. F4L
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        not if New score

      3. JBG
        • 7 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        Unless they concede.. 15..

      4. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        15 years?

    • Billy Whizz
      • 2 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa lol

    • Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

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

    • F4L
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      why do that, watkins blank looking inevitable

    • Maeki2
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa 23% ownership

      1. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 13 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        Wow that is high, surprised.

      2. chocolove
        • 15 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

        Lovely

    • tangtastic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      nailed on red

    • FPL Scoop
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

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

      1. diesel001
        • 9 Years
        8 months, 23 hours ago

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

    • x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Konsa off hahaha

    • TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

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

    • ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      8 months, 23 hours ago

      Villa are trash