Newcastle v Aston Villa: Jaissle Drops Steur, Recalls Joelinton and Asks for a Reaction

Premier League | St James’ Park | Saturday 17 October, 5.30pm

Matthias Jaissle has made his move. With kick-off less than half an hour away, the Newcastle United head coach has shaken up his team for tonight’s visit of Aston Villa, trusting experience in midfield and hoping that home comforts can repair a damaged week.

Steur out, Joelinton in

The big change comes in the engine room, with teenage midfielder Sean Steur, who had been playing in five of Newcastle’s six league games, dropped to the bench. Joelinton is recalled for the first league start of his season after coming on at Coventry on Monday following his injury layoff. He will play alongside Nico Gonzalez and Joe Willock.

In goal, it’s Lukas Hornicek who keeps his place, with a back four of Lewis Miley, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman and Lewis Hall, meaning Dan Burn, who returned from injury on Monday, will start on the bench. In attack, Harvey Barnes, Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Yoane Wissa are the ones chosen.

The substitutes include Steur, Burn, Amar Dedic, William Osula and Bazoumana Toure, all of whom came through the Coventry game, as well as Jacob Murphy, Fabian Schar, Aladji Bamba and goalkeeper Nick Pope.

A week of questions

The mood around the club has soured quickly. A bright start has given way to two 4-1 away defeats in three league games, at Leeds and at Coventry. In between came a 2-1 home win over Hull, so Jaissle will be hoping St James’ Park provides the lift.

Newcastle are 11th with eight points, having scored twice in all three of their home league games but conceding in each and yet to keep a clean sheet, and Jaissle has blamed individual errors, while the selection of experienced players suggests he wants steadier hands tonight.

For Fernandez-Pardo, the £51m forward, it is a chance to end his wait for a Premier League goal.

Villa arrives buoyant

Unai Emery’s side lie 16th with five points in six league games, conceding a total of 11 goals, but they come off the back of a 6-0 win over Fenerbahce in the Champions League – the largest European triumph in the club’s history. Villa are reportedly without left-backs Matteo Ruggeri and Ian Maatsen, potentially giving Newcastle’s wide men scope to attack.

History has its own twists, though, with Villa winning 2-0 at St James’ Park in the league in January before Newcastle responded with a 3-1 FA Cup success in the following month.

The verdict

Leaky defences from both sides will lead to goals, but Newcastle’s selection gives them more experience and physicality, while Villa have the confidence from midweek. We expect an open and entertaining evening and make it a narrow home win.

Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Aston Villa

Newcastle XI: Hornicek; Miley, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Gonzalez, Joelinton, Willock; Barnes, Fernandez-Pardo, Wissa

Subs: Pope, Schar, Bamba, Osula, Toure, Steur, Murphy, Burn, Dedic