Newcastle United’s ambitious £170m target as Magpies face crucial 21-day period

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has warned Aston Villa they’ll have to contend with injuries to key players ahead of their return to the Champions League. It’s something Eddie Howe and Newcastle United were all too familiar with last season, having to contend with a congested fixture schedule.

Scholes believes the Magpies were ‘shot to pieces’ last season, with Howe unable to rotate his side and play players who weren’t 100 per cent fit. Unai Emery’s Villa have followed in Newcastle’s footsteps with Champions League qualification, but the Toon missed out on a return to Europe last season.

Speaking on The Overlap, Scholes said: “I think the big worry for Villa, again, will be squad size. You think of Newcastle last year, we talk about teams having to play the same team through a spell through horrific injuries.

“The same ten or 11 players were playing every single week and they were just shot to pieces. I think Douglas Luiz will be a big miss, I thought he was brilliant for them.