Location - Villa Park  Kick Off - 2.00pm  Date - (Sunday) 27th August 2006  Tickets - On General Sale

Coverage - BBC Radio Newcastle on 95.4FM, 1458 MW

We head into our second game of the premiership season with out heads held high. An above average performance against Wigan helped us start the season with a 100% record (for god sakes let me enjoy it). The first away day of the season sees us travel to Birmingham in the hope we piss all over Martin and Randy's chips. To be fair Villa are the only club in the premiership that has had less transfer dealings than us, with a trail being handed to Didier Agathe, the Frenchman again teaming back up with O'Neill. but it seems the one guy with any conviction has turned down a return to Wearside because lets be honest Niall, after Tuesdays showing against Bury I personally would take a grip of my collar walk out into the unseasonably cold August evening and do the only honorable thing before the Yard-dog they call Roy Keane appears on Wearside. Ohh and I nearly forgot lets all wish the little unwashed f**ker, sweper Kev well in Championship mediocrity.

After watching the highlights from last Saturdays game it seems that Villa were very unlucky to have not won and with them stuffing Reading 2 -1 on Wednesday this one is hard to call! We met Villa twice last season with us taking 4 out of a possible 6 points its looking like a great game in the offing.

Last Season (2005 - 2006):

Away (W) 2-1 (Ameobi, N'Zogbia) (Moore)

Home (D) 1-1 (Shearer pen) (McCann)

Likely Squads:

AVFC - Sorensen, Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Samuel, Whittingham, Moore, Davis, McCann, Barry, Agbonlahor, Angel, Taylor, Laursen, Hendrie, Djemba-Djemba.

Fitness News - Cahill (knee) Bouma (Hamstring)

Man to Watch - Gareth Barry: A goal and a Captain's armband have given this leftsided attacking midfielder a new lease of life.

NUFC - Harper, Carr, Taylor, Bramble, Babayaro, Duff, Parker, Emre, N'Zogbia, Luque, Milner, Krul, Solano, Butt, Ramage, MARTINS, Huntington, Pattison, O'Brien.

Man to Watch - Martins - No9 Shirt need I say more.

Fitness News - Owen (Long Term), Dyer (End of September), Ameobi (Hip/Hamstring) Given (Back) Moore (Knee) if any of the last 3 recover in time then they will be promoted straight into the squad.

Off the Pitch - In the media this week we have found that we are linked with Huth, Gravesen, Kloser, Bridge, Nugent, Malbranque with only two people (And what signings they were) to have the guided tour around our new state of the art dressing rooms. We have 26 squad players available of which 2 have long term injuries and 6 don't have Premiership experience so that leaves us with excluding any new injuries 19 players we can rely on to give 100% in upwards of 55 games this season. With 5/6 days of the window left we need to add strength and depth to lets face it a completely threadbare squad. Hats off to FFS & Glen so far in there transfer dealings but let's not dwell on Duff & Martins too long that we miss out on the other opportunities to add quality to the squad.

ES