Aston Villa vs Newcastle: FA Cup Showdown – All You Need to Know
Villa Park is set to host an exciting FA Cup clash between Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Kick-off is scheduled for 5:45 PM (GMT). This match marks the seventh FA Cup encounter between these two sides since February 16, 1895, a history steeped in significance – in five of the previous six seasons where they’ve met in the FA Cup, the victor has gone on to reach the final!
Team Lineups & Key Changes
Unai Emery has made seven changes to the Aston Villa starting lineup from their midweek match against Brighton. The team will feature Marco Bizot, Pau Torres, Victor Lindelof, Lucas Digne, Ross Barkley, Leon Bailey, and Tammy Abraham. Notably, young Brazilian winger Alysson, signed from Gremio in January, is not in the matchday squad, but is progressing well in his adaptation, showing qualities similar to Leon Bailey, according to Emery.
Eddie Howe has opted for six changes to the Newcastle side that faced Tottenham. Aaron Ramsdale, Lewis Hall, Sandro Tonali, Jacob Murphy, Nick Woltemade, and William Osula will take to the field. Newcastle fans are still reeling from the news of Bruno Guimaraes’ hamstring injury, which will keep him sidelined for 8-10 games, alongside Joelinton, Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, and Emil Krafth.
Aston Villa Starting XI:
- Bizot
- Bogarde
- Lindelof
- Torres
- Digne
- Luiz
- Onana
- Rogers
- Barkley
- Bailey
- Abraham
Newcastle United Starting XI:
- Ramsdale
- Trippier
- Thiaw
- Burn
- Hall
- Tonali
- Ramsey
- Murphy
- Woltemade
- Barnes
- Osula
Injury Updates & Concerns
Aston Villa will be without Youri Tielemans, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, and Andres Garcia due to injuries. Matty Cash is also expected to miss the game. For Newcastle, the absence of Bruno Guimaraes is a significant blow. Lewis Miley is undergoing daily scans for a dead leg and is unlikely to feature, given Newcastle’s busy schedule.
FA Cup Ambitions
Newcastle’s head coach emphasized their desire to win the FA Cup, stating, “Our attitude is to win. It’s a competition we want to win and go as far as we can.” However, with a demanding schedule including a trip to Azerbaijan, Howe may prioritize other competitions. Newcastle haven’t lifted the FA Cup since 1955, while Aston Villa’s last triumph was in 1957 – a long wait for both clubs.
The FA Cup holds a special place in football history. For more on the history of the FA Cup, visit the official FA Cup website.
VAR Absence
It’s worth noting that VAR will not be used in this fourth-round tie, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the match.
Stay tuned for live updates and analysis as Aston Villa and Newcastle battle it out for a place in the next round of the FA Cup!
