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Aston Villa v Newcastle: Unchanged
Written by Newcastle Utd
Rafa Benitez has named an unchanged starting line-up for Newcastle United's fixture at Aston Villa
By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
At Villa Park
Rafa Benitez has named an unchanged starting line-up for Newcastle United's Barclays Premier League fixture at Aston Villa (3pm kick-off).
The Magpies go into the fixture on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, and manager Benitez has kept faith with the same group of players who saw off Crystal Palace seven days ago.
That means Dutch international midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum gets the nod once again, while Vurnon Anita is selected at right-back ahead of fit-again Daryl Janmaat.
United are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with goalkeeper Karl Darlow behind a back four of Anita, Chancel Mbemba, Jamaal Lascelles and Paul Dummett.
Cheick Tiote and Jack Colback will anchor the visitors' midfield at Villa Park, with a trio of Andros Townsend, stand-in skipper Moussa Sissoko and Wijnaldum ahead of them.
And they will be tasked with supplying the ammunition for Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse, who will be looking to add to his three goals this term.
On the substitutes' bench there is a place for full-back Janmaat, who has missed the last four games with groin and hand injuries, and he is joined by Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ayoze Perez, Siem de Jong, Jonjo Shelvey, Steven Taylor and Freddie Woodman.
Hosts Aston Villa make two changes from their defeat at Watford last weekend, with Carlos Sanchez and Scott Sinclair replacing Aly Cissokho, who is suspended, and Rudy Gestede, who is injured.
Aston Villa (3-5-2): Mark Bunn; Alan Hutton, Ciaran Clark, Joleon Lescott (c), Kevin Toner, Leandro Bacuna; Ashley Westwood, Carlos Sanchez, Idrissa Gueye; Jordan Ayew, Scott Sinclair
Substitutes: Brad Guzan, Micah Richards, Jordan Lyden, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Adama Traore
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Karl Darlow; Vurnon Anita, Chancel Mbemba, Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett; Cheick Tiote, Jack Colback; Andros Townsend, Moussa Sissoko (c), Georginio Wijnaldum; Papiss Cisse
Substitutes: Freddie Woodman, Daryl Janmaat, Steven Taylor, Jonjo Shelvey, Siem de Jong, Ayoze Perez, Aleksandar Mitrovic
Referee: Robert Madley (West Yorkshire)