Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn suspended for Newcastle clash

News
By ( Press Association ) published
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa – Premier League – Molineux
(Image credit: Rui Vieira)

Aston Villa’s John McGinn is banned for Saturday’s Premier League visit of Newcastle.

The midfielder collected his fifth yellow card of the season in the 2-0 defeat at Manchester City, while boss Dean Smith will also serve a touchline ban having been sent off.

Newcastle forward Allan Saint-Maximin is back in the squad for the trip to Villa Park after an eight-week Covid-19 lay-off.

The Frenchman, who last played against Chelsea on November 21, has trained this week after being particularly hard hit by a coronavirus outbreak, the after-effects of which have left defenders Federico Fernandez and Fabian Schar still struggling.

Midfielder Ryan Fraser is available after completing a one-match ban, but full-back Paul Dummett will miss out once again as he attempts to work his way back from a hamstring problem and central defender Ciaran Clark is a doubt with a calf injury.

Aston Villa provisional squad: Martinez, Heaton, Steer, Cash, Konsa, Hause, Mings, Targett, Elmohamady, Engels, Guilbert, Taylor, Traore, Nakamba, Ramsey, Luiz, El Ghazi, Trezeguet, Grealish, Barkley, Davis, Watkins.

Newcastle provisional squad: Darlow, Dubravka, Yedlin, Krafth, Lewis, Schar, Fernandez, Clark, Lascelles, Lewis, Shelvey, Hayden, Hendrick, M. Longstaff, S. Longstaff, Ritchie, Murphy, Fraser, Anderson, Hendrick, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Wilson, Joelinton, Gayle, Carroll.