Aston Villa reignited their Premier League title challenge with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Emiliano Buendia curled Villa into a 19th-minute lead from Morgan Rogers pass, before Ollie Watkins nodded Lucas Digne’s cross to seal victory in the 88th minute.
Newcastle remained ninth in the table following their defeat, whilst Villa meanwhile remained third but closed back to within four points of league leaders, Arsenal.
With no wins in their last 17 league visits to Newcastle since a 3-0 victory in April 2005, Villa were dealt a huge scare 36 seconds into the match as Sandro Tonali broke forward into the box but Emiliano Martinez crucially saved his shot.
That moment swiftly sparked Villa into life and just five minutes later, Buendia produced their first meaningful chance with a strike straight into Nick Pope’s arms.
Jadon Sancho then played a 12th-minute slip ball through to Ollie Watkins via Malick Thiaw’s deflection, but the striker could only smash his right-footed shot onto the legs of Pope which deflected it away from goal.
Villa continued to peg Newcastle back at a relentless fast-pace which led to a neat piece of side-to-side free-flowing series of passes in the 19th minute, which left Rogers free to tee up Buendia to shuffle his way into space to bend a tightly-angled shot over Pope into the left corner to put the Villains ahead.
Newcastle subsequently struggled to carve out any real hope of a first-half equaliser as Villa continued to sit in to protect their lead until half time. as Lewis Miley went closest with a 43rd-minute header from Anthony Gordon’s cross.
Villa continued their laid-back counter-attacking approach as Newcastle controlled the early phases of the second half, during which Gordon flicked Miley’s 55th-minute cross over the bar as the Magpies continued to lack a clinical touch.
The game soon became stop-start with various fouls and substitutions with little clear-cut chances of note for either team aside from Martinez’s save of Sven Botman’s 66th-minute header.
Villa eventually sealed victory in the early seconds of the 88th minute after Villa won a corner a minute earlier, which had been cleared but recycled back across the box towards substitute, Digne who put a cross across goal for the unmarked Watkins to nod in.
Newcastle eventually couldn’t find a consolatory goal after eight minutes of injury time as Villa ended their near 21-year away rut on Tyneside, which reignited their title challenge with the deficit to Arsenal reduced to four points.
What’s Next?
Newcastle head to PSG in a crucial final league-phase clash in the Champions League on Wednesday 28 January at 9pm CET (8pm UK Time), knowing that victory will guarantee them a top-eight finish and bypass the knockout play-offs.
Villa meanwhile will be in action 24 hours later on Thursday 29 January as they host Red Bull Salzburg in their final Europa League’s league-phase fixture, having already secured their top-eight finish.
Teams
Newcastle: Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Malic Thiaw, Sven Botman, Lewis Hall, Lewis Miley, Sandro Tonali (Willock 84′), Joelinton (Ramsey 48′), Harvey Barnes, Yoane Wissa (Woltemade 62′), Anthony Gordon (Elanga 63′)
Substitutes: Dan Burn, Anthony Elanga, Alex Murphy, William Osula, Aaron Ramsdale, Jacob Ramsey, Leo Shahar, Joe Willock, Nick Woltemade
Aston Villa: Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres (Mings 75′), Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana (Lindelöf 89′), Youri Tielemans (Bogarde 74′), Jadon Sancho (Bailey 59′), Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Buendia (Digne 75′), Ollie Watkins
Substitutes: Leon Bailey, Marco Bizot, Lamare Bogarde, Lucas Digne, Harvey Elliott, George Hemmings, Tyrone Mings, Victor Lindelöf, Evann Guessand
Referee – Jarred Gillett