Aston Villa host **Newcastle**in what is likely to be a fiercely competed opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season, just three months after the Magpies pipped the Villans to Champions League qualification.
The home side come into the first Premier League game of the season in good form following some strong pre-season showings, highlighted by Emery's men beating **Italian**giants **AS Roma**4-0.
The Villans have had a relatively quiet summer off the pitch, with recent signing Evann Guessand, who signed from OGC Nice for a fee estimated to be around the £25 million mark being the most notable arrival.
On the contrary, the Toon have been in a state of turmoil over the summer.
Pre-season results have been below-par, with the Magpies not recording a single win on their tour to Asia, alongside failing to retain the Sela Cup, following a 2-0 defeat to Spanish outfit **Atletico Madrid**back at St James Park.
Off the pitch, the saga regarding star striker Alexander Isak's future is still unresolved, meaning Anthony Gordon is likely to start the season through the middle, but the signings of Anthony Elanga, Aaron Ramsdale and Malick Thiaw provide some optimism for the season ahead.
Previous meetings between the sides have typically been won by the home team, including the Villans 3-0 victory over the magpies in April.
The last victory by the away side in this fixture, was the Toon's 3-1 victory at Villa Park in January 2024, where an unlikely brace by centre-back Fabian Schar, coupled with an own goal from Alex Moreno, gave the Magpies a 3-1 victory.
Aston Villa:
Unai Emery has a near full-strength squad to pick from for the visit of the Magpies.
The only Villans player who will definitely miss the opening day is Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was recently nominated for the Yashin Trophy.
The keeper' was awarded a red card in the Villans final game of the 2024-25 Premier League season for his last-man tackle on Rasmus Højlund.
**Newcastle**target Jacob Ramsey, may not be an Aston Villa player by matchday, with a deal worth up to £40 million reportedly close to being agreed, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Newcastle:
Eddie Howe has more problems to contend with than his counterpart when picking the first competitive Magpies team of the season.
Alexander Isak, Newcastle's star striker, who scored 23 goals in the Premier League last season, continues to train in exile, following the announcement that he is exploring his options, with **Liverpool**maintaining an active interest in the Swedish international, who has vowed to never play for the Toon again.
**Joe Willock**will miss the visit to Villa Park due to the calf injury he suffered on the trip to Asia, and is expected to remain sidelined until early September.
Both **Lewis Hall**and **Sven Botman**are still recovering from long-term injuries, dating back to the last campaign, and while both managed 45 minutes last week, against **Espanyol**and Atletico Madrid respectively, **Howe**may not deem the pair fit enough to start.
Likely Lineups:
Aston Villa:
Marco Bizot; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen; Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans; Donyell Malen, Morgan Rogers, John McGinn; Ollie Watkins
Newcastle:
Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall; Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton; Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, Harvey Barnes
Key Players
Morgan Rogers
The Englishman, brought from **Middlesborough**for a mere initial £8 million, starred last season, receiving his maiden senior English call up, alongside a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the year.
Predominantly playing as the attacking midfielder in Emery's 4-2-3-1 formation, **Rogers**can also play on either wing and provides a significant threat to the **Newcastle**defence with his exceptional dribbling and playmaking in the final third.
With 18 goals and assists in the Premier League last season, **Rogers**will look to hit the ground running in an attempt to nail down a position in the England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Sandro Tonali
The Italian joined the Magpies in 2023, with hefty expectations following his significant role in AC Milan's Scudetto winning team of 2022.
While his first season was scuppered by a 10 month ban he received as a result of an investigation into illegal gambling, he lived up to expectations in his second season, playing a prominent role in midfield, helping the Toon qualify for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.
Pulling the strings alongside Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of midfield, the Italian has re-taken his spot back in the Italian side as a result of his performances for the Magpies, but the most impressive aspect of his game is his seemingly never-ending stamina and work-rate which allow him to consistently play full 90 minutes.
Match Details
Where is the match being played?
The game is taking place at Villa Park, Aston, which is expected to be a sell out, with 3,000 Toon fans making the long journey down from the north-east to Birmingham.
What time is kick off?
Kick off is at 12:30pm BST (British Summer Time). It is the first of five Premier League games on Saturday, following the season opener on Friday night between **Liverpool**and Bournemouth.
How can I watch?
The game is being shown live on TNT Sports 1 for viewers in the UK. Free-to-view highlights will be shown live on BBC One at 22:20 on Saturday evening.