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.
