Aston Villa vs Newcastle Report

Scorers: Watkins 1’, Maatsen 64’, Burn (OG) 73’, Onana 75’; Schar 18’

Aston Villa extended their unbeaten Premier League run at Villa Park to 16 matches with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Newcastle United, reigniting their push for a UEFA Champions League spot next season.

Unai Emery’s side produced a scintillating performance to see off a Newcastle side in fine form themselves, closing the gap between the two clubs to just two points as the race for European qualification intensifies.

Lightning Start for Villa

The Villans couldn’t have wished for a better start, as Ollie Watkins fired them ahead inside the opening minute. The striker’s effort took a deflection off Fabian Schär, wrong-footing Nick Pope and finding the back of the net.

Watkins, who has been in and out of the starting XI in recent weeks, almost added a second moments later, rattling the crossbar with a fierce strike from a tight angle.

Newcastle responded well and found themselves level midway through the first half when Schär atoned for his earlier misfortune. The Swiss defender rose highest to head in Harvey Barnes’ cross, with the ball squirming through the legs of Emiliano Martínez.

However, Villa continued to look the more dangerous side. Marco Asensio mis-kicked a golden opportunity to restore the lead, and Watkins was again denied by the woodwork – this time glancing a header off the post from a set piece. Both keepers were called into action before the interval, as Sandro Tonali tested Martínez with a low drive and Morgan Rogers forced Pope into a smart save at his near post.

Dominant Second-Half Display

Villa carried their first-half momentum into the second period, and their pressure eventually told. Youri Tielemans saw a goal-bound header cleared off the line by Tonali, before Pope made an outstanding double save to keep out John McGinn and Rogers. The breakthrough finally arrived just after the hour mark as Watkins turned provider, slipping a pass into Ian Maatsen, who coolly finished into the far corner to score his first-ever PL goal.

From there, the floodgates opened. Jacob Ramsey’s dangerous cross led to an own goal by Dan Burn, who could do little as the ball deflected in off his leg. Villa’s substitutes continued to make their mark, with Amadou Onana netting a stunning fourth, curling into the top corner after Pope had initially denied Rogers.

Villa’s relentless attack almost yielded a fifth, with Ramsey striking the post late on – the third time Emery’s side had hit the woodwork during the match.

What It Means

This result represents a fifth defeat in six league visits to Villa Park for Newcastle and a damaging blow to their top-four hopes. Meanwhile, Aston Villa have now lost just once in their last 21 home league games and have made Villa Park a true fortress. The three points see them move within two of the Magpies and further strengthen their UCL credentials heading into the final weeks of the season.

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Aston Villa v Newcastle, 2024/25 | Premier League