Alan Pardew believes Paul Lambert has made a wise choice in taking in Roy Keane as a dressing-room enforcer this season.
Alan Pardew: “Roy is a good football person and a good person to have in the dressing room, but I also think Paul Lambert is a great manager.
“It strengthens his hands to have good people around him, as John is for me.
“I am looking forward to testing the technical game we are going to have.
“We face a Villa side which has just picked up an away win and in the Premier League.
“That is gold-dust, so they will be feeling fairly confident to turn us over at home and we have to make sure we are a really stiff opposition.
“They have good players – they still carry great players, Aston Villa, and it will be a difficult game."