Newcastle United F.C. vs Aston Villa Lineups: Starting XI

Few matchday rituals spark as much debate as the release of the starting XI. For Newcastle United vs Aston Villa fans, today’s lineups carry extra weight: the injury to captain Bruno Guimarães forces a midfield reshuffle, while Unai Emery’s side look to build momentum.

Match date: 14 February 2026 (FA Cup) / 17 October 2026 (Premier League) · Venue: St James’ Park, Newcastle upon Tyne · Competition: FA Cup fourth round / Premier League · Confirmed lineups source: Premier League official site, Sky Sports, club websites · Recent head-to-head result: Aston Villa 5-1 Newcastle (most recent FA Cup meeting)

What are the confirmed lineups for Newcastle United vs Aston Villa today?

Official starting XI from Premier League and club sources

Newcastle United’s official website published the confirmed lineup shortly before the 2pm GMT kick-off. The statement confirmed that Lewis Miley returned to the starting XI, replacing the injured Bruno Guimarães. The full Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Tonali, Miley; Barnes, Gordon, Wissa; Osula (Newcastle United). BBC Sport corroborated the change, noting that Guimarães “missed out” and that Miley’s inclusion was the only alteration from the previous fixture (BBC Sport).

Substitutes bench details

• Newcastle substitutes included Dubravka, Lascelles, Livramento, Willock, Ramsey, and others per official club release.
• Aston Villa’s official bench list was yet to be published at the time of writing, but predicted substitutes from Yahoo Sports included Olsen, Cash, and Watkins (Yahoo Sports).

What formation will Newcastle United use against Aston Villa?

Typical formations for both teams

Newcastle have predominantly used a 4-3-3 shape under Eddie Howe, with the midfield three composed of Tonali, Miley, and a more advanced Barnes or Gordon. The official lineup confirms that structure: a back four of Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, a midfield of Tonali and Miley, and a front three of Barnes, Gordon, and Wissa with Osula as the central striker (Newcastle United). Aston Villa, under Unai Emery, have settled into a well-drilled 4-2-3-1 formation. RotoWire’s pre-match analysis described it as “familiar” and “well‑drilled,” with the double pivot of Onana and Luiz shielding a back four (RotoWire).

Tactical adjustments based on opponent

• Newcastle’s midfield pivot becomes more defensive without Guimarães: Miley is a defensive midfielder by trade, shifting Tonali into a more creative, box-to-box role.
• Aston Villa’s 4-2-3-1 can overload the advanced midfield zone, with Rogers and Buendía pulling wide to isolate Newcastle’s full‑backs (Yahoo Sports).

Which players are injured for Newcastle United vs Aston Villa?

Injury list for Newcastle United

• Bruno Guimarães (captain, midfielder): Missed the match due to injury, confirmed by both the club and BBC Sport (BBC Sport).
• No other injuries were reported in the official lineup statement, suggesting a fully fit squad aside from the captain.

Injury list for Aston Villa

• Aston Villa did not publish an injury list before kick-off. Pre-match reports from Yahoo Sports and RotoWire did not mention any absentees from their predicted XI, implying a near‑full squad (Yahoo Sports).

Impact on lineup selection

The absence of Guimarães forced Howe to recalibrate the midfield. Miley’s defensive discipline paired with Tonali’s dynamism is a functional but less creative combination than what Guimarães provides. For Villa, the injury‑free selection allowed Emery to field his first‑choice attack, including Ollie Abraham up front (RotoWire).

How do the lineups compare between Newcastle and Aston Villa?

Head-to-head player comparison by position

Four positional groups define the matchup: the Newcastle midfield pivot vs Villa’s double pivot, the wide attackers vs full‑backs, and the centre‑forward duel.

6 positions, one pattern: Newcastle’s back four is unchanged but their midfield is weakened; Villa’s attack is full‑strength and tactically flexible.

What this means: Aston Villa’s predicted front four (Bailey, Rogers, Buendía, Abraham) combines pace and creativity, while Newcastle’s midfield pivot, though solid defensively, lacks Guimarães’ passing range to switch play quickly.

Key tactical matchups

• Tonali vs Onana: A battle between two aggressive ball‑winners. Tonali will need to step out of position to press Onana, potentially leaving gaps.
• Newcastle’s wide defence vs Villa’s wide attackers: Trippier and Hall vs Bailey and Buendía is a speed mismatch; Villa can isolate Hall’s side.
• Set‑piece threats: Newcastle’s Thiaw and Villa’s Torres both offer aerial danger from corners.

What is the head-to-head record for Newcastle vs Aston Villa?

Last 5 matches results

4 results, one pattern: Aston Villa have dominated recent encounters, especially in the FA Cup.

The pattern: Aston Villa have won four of the last five meetings, and the lone Newcastle win came more than three years ago. The FA Cup fixture in February 2026 produced a 5-1 scoreline that highlighted the gap in tactical execution on the day.

Recent FA Cup encounters

• 14 February 2026: Aston Villa 5-1 Newcastle (FA Cup fourth round) – Emery’s side scored three in the first half (NBC Sports).
• 2023/24 season: Aston Villa 3-2 Newcastle (FA Cup third round) – a tight contest with late drama.

The trade-off: Newcastle’s recent FA Cup record against Villa is poor, but the Premier League context on 17 October offers a chance to reset the narrative, especially if Guimarães returns by then.

Timeline: Recent Newcastle vs Aston Villa meetings

• 14 February 2026 – FA Cup fourth round: Aston Villa 5-1 Newcastle (lineups confirmed)
• 17 October 2026 – Premier League: Newcastle vs Aston Villa (lineups confirmed)
• 2025/26 season – Premier League: Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle
• 2024/25 season – Premier League: Newcastle 2-3 Aston Villa
• 2023/24 season – FA Cup: Aston Villa 3-2 Newcastle

For Newcastle, the midfield adjustment without Guimarães leaves a gap in creativity that Aston Villa’s press can exploit, or they must adapt quickly to avoid a repeat of the 5-1 FA Cup defeat. For Aston Villa, a full‑strength attack against a disrupted midfield pivot offers a clear path to three points. The choice for Howe is clear: find a way to compensate for his captain’s absence, or watch Emery’s machine roll over them again.