PREMIER LEAGUE LIVE: Newcastle v Aston Villa – the action from the Sports Direct Arena as it happens
Follow Sportsmail's coverage of the Barclays Premier League as Newcastle host Aston Villa at the Sports Direct Arena to kick off Sunday's action. The Toon will aim for three points to maintain their challenge for a Champions League spot against Alex McLeish's side, who will target moving into the top 10. Email me your thoughts on the action at dan.ripley@dailymail.co.uk or via Twitter @Ripinho.
Newcastle 0-0 Aston Villa (1.30pm)
Click here for the live goals as they go in
Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson,
Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Best (Cisse 14).
Subs: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Shola Ameobi, Obertan, Ferguson.
Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Cuellar,
Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia, Keane, Bent.
Subs:
Guzan, Heskey, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker, Gardner.
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Click here for the live Premier League table
24min: These always make me wince. Stephen Warnock is now receiving treatment after his attempt to head the ball clear only succeeds with crashing into the back of Ryan Taylor's skull. He should be okay though.
22min: Newcastle starting to up the gears now as Demba Ba's shot cannons off Dunne for a corner. Villa clear again but the visitors are slightly on the back foot.
19min: Although Ryan Taylor's initial delivery is cleared, the ball falls back to him inside the box. But with a crowd of players in front of him he blasts miles over.
18min: He could have another chance here too as Newcastle win a free-kick on the left flank after Clark trips Davide Santon.
16min: Not a bad opening from him too, as the striker heads a near post cross on target. It slightly lacks power though and Shay Given eats those in his sleep.
Early end: Leon Best injured his knee after his shot was blocked, leading to the introduction Papiss Cisse
14min: To encouraging cheers from the home fans, Cisse does indeed make his Newcastle debut as he replaces the injured Best.
13min: Back on the pitch and our first chance as Keane threads through a lovely ball for Bent inside the box.
he striker does well to beat the offside trap, but at a slightly awkward angle sees his shot blocked by Tim Krul. I would have stuck money on him to score from there to be honest.
11min: We could see Cisse earlier than expected. Best has a shot from the edge of the box, but it's instantly blocked and he his down holding his knee and receiving treatment as I type.
10min: No side has got a hold of this game yet, but Alex McLeish is furious with his side after they fail to make the most of a counter attacking opportunity which falls apart through a basic lack of communication.
7min: Newcastle win a free-kick on the halfway line, but although Leon Best wins the flick on from Ryan Taylor's long ball, Villa comfortably clear their lines.
5min: And we haven't really progressed from that. Villa keen to play a direct ball to Bent at every opportunity but there has been no other pattern (or action) so far.
2min: One man who is getting jeered is Darren Bent. His Sunderland connections not forgotten in this part of the world – sparring start here.
Heads up: Aston Villa's Stephen Ireland (left) and Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez challenge for the ball
Kick-off: Newcastle get us going then.
13.27: Out come the teams then on a sunny but very cold afternoon in the north east.
13.24: You don't have to go that far back to find Newcastle's last stunning moment in this fixture though – only last season in fact.
Villa, under caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald, were thumped 6-0 in late August, when some chap called Andy Carroll scored a hat-trick.
13.21: Regarding InfostradaLive's stat at 13.15, you may recall that was the day team-mates Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer infamously got involved in a scuffle and received two of those three red cards.
13.18: Newcastle striker Demba Ba returns to the starting line-up for this afternoon's Barclays Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
The 15-goal frontman goes straight back into the team after his sabbatical at the African Nations Cup, although international team-mate and new signing Papiss Demba Cisse had to make do with a place on the bench as Ba and James Perch replaces Shola Ameobi and Hatem Ben Arfa.
Villa boss Alex McLeish names an unchanged side, which means Shay Given returns to Tyneside for the first time, while there are places too for fellow old boys Charles N'Zogbia and Stephen Ireland.
Out of control: Newcastle team-mates Lee Bowyer (left) and Kieron Dyer were sent off back in 2005
13.15: InfostradaLive – taking you from one red card extreme to the other:
Aston Villa's last win at Newcastle United (2005) was helped by the home side having three players sent off, equal most of any club in PL.
13.12: Any of you still doubting whether Newcastle can get a Champions League spot, it's worth knowing three points today will take Alan Pardew's side level on points with Chelsea in fourth.
An outside bet yes, but they are still well in the hunt.
13.09: From InfostradaLive:
Newcastle United are one of only two clubs yet to win a PL match this season after going behind. The other is Manchester United.
13.06: While we may get a penalty today, we probably won't get a red card. Mark Halsey is one of two referees not to have sent anyone off this season.
13.03: And that team in full: Given, Dunne, Williams, Devine, Stevens, Carruthers, Ireland, Clark, Burke, Keane, Drennan.
A few rough diamonds in there but they could rely on some Irish luck I suppose.
13.00: Just been pointed out to me on the desk that Villa could field a whole team of Irishman if they wanted to. There's five in the team today with Given, Richard Dunne, Ireland, Ciaran Clark and Robbie Keane – Villa for Poland/Ukraine
12.57: Remember folks, you can catch up with all the goals involving a Premier League side as they go in by following our excellent live goal service on Twitter.
12.54: Full line-ups from the Sports Direct Arena:
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Best. Subs: Elliot, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Shola Ameobi, Obertan, Ferguson.
Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia, Keane, Bent. Subs: Guzan, Heskey, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker, Gardner.
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Fan favourite: Shay Given returns to the club he spent 12 years at between 1997 and 2009
12.51: No start for Newcastle's new signing Papiss Cisse the, but I can confirm he is on the bench. Best-Ba combination probably the most sensible option to get things underway.
12.48: Glaring error from me. Of course Stephen Ireland played for Newcastle as well last season (see 12.36) but it was only twice in an injury hit loan spell. He was unbeaten though with a couple of draws against Manchester United and Blackpool in the 49 minutes he appeared in.
12.45: Newcastle starting XI:
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, R.Taylor, Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Best, Ba
12.42: Back to the Sports Direct Arena though, who fancies taking a spot-kick for Aston Villa today This from OptaJoe:
8 – Newcastle United have conceded the joint-most penalties in the Premier League. Clipped.
12.39: Not every game has beaten the weather though folks. As far as I know Chelsea are not as keen to call off their fixture with Manchester United this season, but the East Midlands derby in the Championship between Derby and Nottingham Forest has been postponed due to safety reasons.
12.36: Shay Given and Charles N'Zogbia to start against their former sides then. I assume the former will be given a resounding reception, the latter…I'm not so sure.
12.33: Aston Villa starting XI:
Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, N’Zogbia, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, Bent, Keane.
12.30: Not going anywhere because of the white apocalypse Then may I offer you an afternoon of Premier League action starting with the intriguing warm-up act of Newcastle v Aston Villa, followed later by the main event of Chelsea v Manchester United.
Planes, trains and automobiles may be unreliable this weekend, but you can bank on the Premier League carrying on as usual.* Team news on the way folks.
*hopefully.
Ba-ck in business: Demba Ba (left) is expected to return for Newcastle against Aston Villa
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