I am guessing they flew back last night to arrive early hours of this morning, off home for a few hours sleep. Back at BMH Saturday and fly to Newcastle Sunday morning?It’s hell of a disadvantage.
I would be leaning towards Mings and Digne for this one - I think there physicality would be a struggle for us - partiuclarly given onana is unlikely to be able to play a full game. Maybe even Guessard on the right to support Cash I think getting anything here given our injuries should be seen as a good result.
Team to watch: Aston VillaLet’s continue the theme of August reminiscences, because in few places would the contrast appear more initially stark than at Aston Villa.They began the season with a grim goalless draw against the Newcastle side that had pipped them to Champions League football on the final day of 24/25 in a game that very much continued the trending themes at the time for two clubs who had endured awkward and unsatisfactory summers.For Villa it would set a trend that would extend into September and a five-game winless run to start the season that didn’t even contain a goal until that fifth game.Then they just won pretty much all the games for an extended period of time to become brief yet genuine title contenders.But the reopening of the transfer window has brought back familiar doubts and truths, and despite Villa occupying an enviable position in the table and appearing certainties for Champions League football next season there is now once again a distinct sense of a buzz harshed.Frustration at rules that bind them while being more easily navigated by the established big clubs, of simply not being allowed to compete on even terms with Newcastle, never mind the cosseted Big Six. Even the stupidest members of that group are annoying Villa. Especially the stupidest members.A look at the table suggests this angst is misplaced; Villa remain closer to Arsenal than they do to fifth place, which will almost certainly be enough to achieve what Villa set out to achieve this season and which they looked a million miles away from doing back in August.But time and results and other factors all have a funny way of shifting those sands beneath your feet. And with a slight dip in results and the return of the transfer window with its now familiar frustrations, there’s just a nagging sense that Villa are neither as happy as they should be, nor as they were just a few short weeks ago.
Tammy and Bailey back in the squad would be great. Both will come on if they are.
If he feels fit enough Mings plays alongside Konsa. Garcia starts on the right and Sancho comes on after 60 mins. Guessand doesn't get a look in.A 2-0 loss sadly. We then regroup with a couple of good new signings, a top 2 finish on the Europa, and crack on from there