Newcastle United face Aston Villa in their Premier League opener on Saturday, August 16th at Villa Park. The Magpies have had a decent transfer window. Three of their major signings will be available for the matchup as of now, while Jacob Ramsey might also join that list if his transfer goes through in time. Eddie Howe has an uphill task on his hands, with Alexander Isak being unavailable as the Swede is pushing for an exit and has refused to play.
Nevertheless, the Magpies still have a more than capable team to rise up to the challenge. Here is the predicted Newcastle United lineup for their matchup against Aston Villa.
GK: Nick Pope
Howe is expected to opt for Pope in goal despite the availability of Aaron Ramsdale, who will have to wait for his official debut in the black and white stripes. Pope was the primary goalkeeper last season, appearing in 32 matches across all competitions. The manager wouldn’t want to change much for the opening fixture, so we think Pope will retain his place in the starting lineup against Aston Villa.
RB: Kieran Trippier
The 34-year-old right-back will among the oldest players for Newcastle next season. He still has a year left on his contract with the Magpies. Trippier brings experience on the pitch and has been nothing but loyal since joining the club. He will likely be given the start by Howe.
CB: Fabian Schar
After Newcastle were hit with an injury crisis last season, Schar was among the starting centre-back duo who played a major part in the club’s successful campaign that saw them finish fifth in the Premier League table, thus securing a Champions League spot and also lifting the Carabao Cup, ending their domestic trophy drought. He is expected to be included in the starting XI for the matchup against Villa.
CB: Dan Burn
Dan Burn won the Newcastle Player of the Season Award for the last campaign which was decided by the fans’ votes, and there are certainly reasons why. Apart from the veteran defender scoring the winning goal in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, he was exceptional throughout the season. We feel he will be one of the starters for Newcastle in the Premier League opener.
LB: Tino Livramento
Although primarily a right-back, the youngster filled in at left-back late last season. With Lewis Hall returning from injury, that may not be necessary this campaign. However, for this matchup, Howe is expected to start Livramento on the left, with a likely switch to the right in future games when Hall takes over on the left.
CDM: Bruno Guimaraes
Bruno Guimaraes is one of the centrepieces in Howe’s tactics. So it’s a no brainer that he will start against Villa. Moreover, he is set to captain the team in the matchup.
CM: Sandro Tonali
Tonali served his suspension due to betting charges and returned last season. He has been incredible since his comeback. He made 45 appearances in all competitions last season and scored six goals along with providing three assists. He is a non-negotiable starter for Newcastle when available, so he will in all probability start against Aston Villa.
CM: Joelinton
One of the fan favourites, Joelinton will likely find his name in the starting XI after having a strong 2024–25 season. The Brazilian has been a regular in Newcastle’s squad, playing in almost all the matches when fit. He suffered a knee injury in the finishing stages of the campaign but is back to full health and will be looking forward to kick off the next season.
RW: Anthony Elanga
Elanga is the only new signing that is expected to start against Villa. The Swedish international who arrived early in the transfer window is expected to play a major part in Howe’s squad moving forward. Jacob Murphy will likely start on the bench as a backup.
LW: Harvey Barnes
While this might come as a surprise to many, we think Barnes will start at the left wing over Anthony Gordon and we will get to the reason in a bit. Anyway, the 27-year-old winger appeared in 40 matches in the last season and scored nine goals. He’ll be hoping to build on that form in the upcoming campaign.
ST: Anthony Gordon
Well, here’s the reason why Gordon isn’t starting on the wings. Isak has decided not to play for Newcastle, and the situation regarding his future remains tense. Meanwhile, the club has failed to bring in a new forward as of now. Additionally, the Magpies’ only other striker, William Osula, has failed to impress in the pre-season friendlies. So, Howe will have to make do with what he has, and Gordon seems to be the only right option as of now. Let’s see how things pan out.