Aston Villa 4 Newcastle 1 - Report

Ollie Watkins got Villa off to the perfect start and became the club’s joint record scorer in the Premier League when he netted via a deflection after just 33 seconds.

Fabian Schar levelled but Villa were always on top and finally got back in front through Ian Maatsen on 64 minutes.

A Dan Burn own goal and a superb strike from substitute Amadou Onana capped an excellent all-round display.

Analysis

Onana netted just three minutes after coming off the bench, while it was fellow substitute Jacob Ramsey who delivered the cross from which Burn put through his own net, as an inspired double change from Emery finally killed off Newcastle’s challenge.

Villa could have had the match finished in the first half, such was their dominance. After scoring, Watkins hit both the bar and post, while Marco Asensio missed a guilt-edged opportunity a minute after Schar had equalised.

The home side thought the defender should have been sent-off when he was the last man and dragged back Watkins.

But any ire toward referee Jarred Gillet, who only showed yellow, was forgotten as the crowd enjoyed a scintillating performance from their team.

Newcastle had arrived on a six-match winning run and were the other form team in the top half.

Yet they had no match for the energy of Villa, who extinguished any fears of a hangover following Tuesday’s heroic and heartbreaking Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain with a lightning start.

Watkins, whose goal took a big nick off Schar to beat Nick Pope, epitomised their effort, the striker any frustration at being on the bench for five of the previous six matches out on the Magpies.

Victory lifted Villa up to sixth in the Premier League, level on points with Nottingham Forest. It is Emery’s men who have all the momentum, with five matches to play.

Emery has branded this the “most difficult and important” match of the season in his programme notes and the manner in which Villa began suggested his players thought the same.

Watkins pressured Sandro Tonali into a hasty clearance which went straight to Tielemans. The latter’s pass to Watkins was perfect and the deflection off Schar gave Pope no chance.

Having drawn level with Agbonlahor, he then almost went ahead of him four minutes later, finishing a driving run with an effort which clattered off the underside of the bar.

It was all about Watkins and Schar. The Villa man was dragged down by the defender and the home side wanted a red card. Referee Gillett produced only a yellow and that became more significant soon after when Schar arrived unmarked at the far post to meet Harvey Barnes’ cross, the header going through the legs of Martinez.

Asensio should have restored Villa’s lead immediately but failed to make clean connection with Maatsen’s cross. Watkins then sent a header from an Asensio free-kick off the post.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic. Tonali forced Martinez into a scrambling save with a shot from long-range.

But it was Villa who continued to pour forward. Rogers brought a smart save out of Pope at his near post and the goalkeeper then got lucky when the resulting corner cannoned off his thigh and away to safety after Tino Livramento had missed the near post header.

Gillett, already unpopular with the home crowd, then caused further fury in the stands when he waved away appeals for a penalty after Watkins tumbled under the challenge of Trippier.

Villa continued to push after the break, Tonali clearing a Tielemans header at the far post from the home team’s seventh corner of the evening.

A brilliant pass over the top from Boubacar Kamara sent McGinn through on goal but Pope stood tall to make the save.

It felt like a goal was coming and finally it did. Watkins turned provider when he slid a pass through to Maatsen, who lifted a finish over Pope.

For what felt like the first time in the match, Villa sat back but an inspired double change by Emery with 18 minutes remaining killed off the match.

Ramsey, on the pitch barely 60 seconds, delivered a low cross which Tielemans dummied and Burn, unable to adjust his feet, watched as the ball hit him and trickled inside the post.

Then it was Onana’s turn to shine. He would not have had the chance were it not for a fine stop from Pope to deny Rogers one-on-one moments earlier. When Villa kept the ball alive, it was Rogers who played it back for the midfielder to curl a shot into the top corner from 20 yards out. Ramsey also hit the post as Villa threatened to run riot but the visitors were able to avoid further damage.

Key Moments

1 GOAL Ollie Watkins gives Villa the perfect start when his shot deflects off Fabian Schar to beat Nick Pope. Watkins equals Gabriel Agbonlahor’s Premier League goal record.

18 GOAL Schar draws Newcastle level. He arrives to meet Harvey Barnes’ cross at the far post and his header goes between the legs of Emi Martinez.

64 GOAL Villa back ahead. Watkins slides in Ian Maatsen and he lifts a finish over Nick Pope.

73 GOAL Villa have breathing space. Jacob Ramsey delivers a low cross and when Youri Tielemans dummies it, Dan Burn can’t adjust his feet in time and puts through his own net.

75 GOAL Amadou Onana curls home from 20 yards out, moments after Pope denies Morgan Rogers.

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Kamara (Barkley 82), Tielemans, McGinn (Onana 72), Asensio (Ramsey 72), Rogers (Malen 82), Watkins (Rashford 82) Subs not used: Disasi, Digne, Garcia, Olsen (gk).

Newcastle (4-3-3): Pope, Tripper (Krafth 76), Schar (Targett 82), Burn, Livramento, Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton, Murphy (Gordon 65), Isak (Wilson 76), Barnes (Willock 76) Subs not used: Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Dubravka (gk).