‘Immense’ star and forgotten man: Aston Villa players who could debut vs Newcastle
Unai Emery has a selection dilemma as Aston Villa prepare to open the season against Newcastle United.
The Villans are set to return to Premier League action after 83 days as they welcome the Magpies at Villa Park on Saturday (16 August).
It is fair to say that the Magpies will represent a stern opponent to begin the campaign, bringing up the curtain after a largely quiet summer window.
With that being said, there is still the chance for many fresh faces to feature in claret and blue for the first time as Emery looks set to hand out many debuts in B6.
Evann Guessand could feature vs Newcastle
The most recent deal in the Midlands has seen the Ivory Coast international come in from OGC Nice for a fee in the region of £23-26million.
There are huge levels of excitement surrounding the 24-year-old, who could prove to be an excellent addition after a hugely positive season in France last time out.
| Stat | Evann Guessand |
| Appearances | 42 |
| Goals | 13 |
| Assists | 9 |
Having already featured in pre-season against both Marseille and Villarreal, Guessand could make his competitive debut against Newcastle.
It will certainly be interesting to see if the forward comes in from the start or is introduced from the bench, but either way could have a telling impact on the result.
Marco Bizot set to start for Aston Villa
It looks increasingly likely that the Dutchman will be starting in between the sticks for the Villans against Howe’s men.
This comes after Emi Martinez was sent off against Manchester United on the final day of last season and will now serve a suspension as a result.
Emery will have to show faith in his new shot stopper, who will be given a true baptism of fire after a summer move from Ligue 1.
- Bizot made 41 appearances for Brest last season
- The 34-year-old kept 10 clean sheets with a 58.8 per cent save percentage
- He compares well to Martinez, with 33 high claims in Ligue 1 last year
- With 255 completed long passes, he will be a useful asset under Emery
This shouldn’t represent too much stress for Bizot, who was a starting keeper for Brest domestically and in the Champions League.
Samuel Iling-Junior yet to debut under Emery
The England under-21 international has been a feature throughout pre-season, but is yet to play in a competitive fixture wearing claret and blue.
Ironically, Iling-Junior has played at Villa Park for Bologna, but will now be hopeful of playing in the Premier League with them this season.
There is every chance that the ex-Juventus man is afforded minutes off the bench against Newcastle, especially if Emery is looking to see out the game.
After becoming somewhat of a forgotten man in the Midlands, it will certainly be interesting to see how he can perform if he sticks around.
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