Key events
Barney Ronay was at Villa Park and here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Jason Tindall speaks to Sky. “The second half was maybe a step too far for the same group of players … we’ve had three games in six days … a top Villa side … we did OK first half … the second half, around 60 minutes maybe, it was one step too far … we wasn’t happy with the goals we conceded … put that right on the training ground … can’t fault the effort and attitude … five cup finals remaining … prepare and refresh … starting against Ipswich at St James’ Park … the lads don’t mean to make mistakes … we have to analyse the game … come back stronger like we have done in the past.”
He also reports on the pneumonia-stricken Eddie Howe. “He still remains the same … a day-by-day thing … whenever he feels able to speak to me he will do … he is in good hands … the most important thing is he rests … he recovers … get back as quickly as possible to lead the team! [smiles bashfully] … we’ve not been [apart] for more than a day or two in 17 years so I certainly miss him … even more so on days like this! … I’m sure he’ll be really proud of the [team’s] effort.”
That’s a really sweet tribute to his pal.
Unai Emery talks to Sky Sports. “We focused on this match … something very important … fighting for the Champions League position … completely happy with how they responded … now we are in our best moment … the game-plan … good spirit … good physical work for 90 minutes … Ollie Watkins played fantastic … his commitment is always high … this is the level we need … [the subs] made a very good impact … very competitive … Manchester City are performing fantastically … they are not as consistent as they were before … but of course they are still top five … it is our challenge … we are feeling strong and confident but it will be very difficult … but this is the challenge we want.”
Ollie Watkins talks to Sky Sports. “Being out of the team, nobody’s happy to sit on the bench … I found myself out of it for a few games … I was raring to go and wasn’t going to let that opportunity slip … we knew Newcastle were going to go man for man, and me personally I like that … I think I got the better of Fabian Schär today and gave him a tough time … I’ve played against him quite a few times and he’s an unbelievable defender … he could have got the better of me today but that’s football, that’s the way it works and today was my day … we didn’t underestimate them … we knew we’d create chances … [his goal] wasn’t the cleanest of strikes but sometimes the bobbly ones go in … [hitting the woodwork twice] didn’t faze me … I’m glad I could help the team to win … I played 20 minutes against PSG … I won’t lie I was fuming and I let [Emery] know that … but he’s the manager and you have to respect his decision … I’m not one of these players who is happy to sit on the bench … the team played really well but I wanted to be out on the pitch … I’ve played a big part to get to where we are today … I was angry but you have to use that as motivation … we just need to keep winning these games … City away on Tuesday … very tough … we’ve got to win all the game and aim for that Champions League spot … I’m looking forward to when I break [Villa’s Premier League top-scoring] record.”
Jeff Beck soundtracks the Villa Park party. Aston Villa have just thumped a Newcastle side who were flying high on confidence, having won their previous six matches and breaking a 70-year domestic-trophy curse while doing so. Unai Emery’s team were the better team from the very first kick, player of the match Ollie Watkins scoring after 32 seconds. They went to score three more goals, hit the woodwork on three occasions, missed a six-yard sitter, and probably should have been facing ten men for 76 minutes. Newcastle – currently the third-best team in the land according to the only metric that really counts – were undressed. Villa are still outside the Champions League places, but they’re within striking distance now, and they visit fourth-placed Manchester City on Tuesday evening. On this evidence – and a run of ten wins in 11 matches in all competitions – they’ll fancy their chances of getting a result at the home of the champions. They were magnificent tonight.
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle United
Aston Villa want that Champions League spot all right!
90 min +5: Guimaraes tries to release Livramento with a pass down the inside-right channel, but gets it all wrong. The ball flies out at great speed for a goal kick. On the touchline, Jason Tindall scrunches his eyes closed. It’s been that sort of day for the Toon.
90 min +4: “There’s no doubt Pongo Waring is the MBM man of the match,” writes MBM co-commentator Simon McMahon. “He would have been proud of that Villa performance, too.”
90 min +3: From the edge of the Newcastle box, Malen drags a shot wide left. Then another wave of Villa attack, as Rashford wedges a pass in from the right for Barkley, who attempts to screech a shot home from a tight angle. The ball flashes across the face of goal and away. Full marks for ambition, because that would have been some goal.
90 min +2: The Villa Park faithful indulge in a few olés as their team pass the ball around the pack. Any old excuse …
90 min +1: During the first of six additional minutes, Sky co-commentator Alan Smith names Ollie Watkins as his player of the match. There can be no argument.
90 min: Gordon worms his way down the left and loops long for Joelinton, who can’t sort his feet out at the far post. Half a chance there. Livramento then shanks into the stand behind.
88 min: Ramsey is booked for a tug on Livramento. Guimaraes, running hot, shoves him in the chest as he tries to take a quick free kick. He’s fortunate not to be awarded a second yellow. Newcastle could easily have had a couple of players sent off today. It’s not been a good day at the office.
87 min: A corner for Newcastle down the left. Gordon takes, and hooks it straight out for a goal kick. That just about sums up their second half. “That’s a cute magpie at the bottom of the stylized NUFC crest,” observes Peter Oh. “As for the Toon getting a result today, I guess that bird has flown.” It is a glorious badge, isn’t it. Memories of Gazza, Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley, Mirandinha, shipping four-goal leads at QPR, all that.
85 min: Rashford wins the ball down the right, Burn napping, and tries to release Malen into the box. He gets too much on the pass, and Pope is able to smother. Had he weighted that correctly, Malen was one-on-one with the keeper and odds-on to make it five.
83 min: It’s Villa’s turn to make a triple change. Rogers, Kamara and the excellent Watkins, are replaced by Barkley, Rashford and Malen.
82 min: Schar, who could easily have been walking after 14 minutes, finally departs, to be replaced by Targett.
81 min: Joelinton curls dangerously from the right. Willock rises highest at the far stick, but can’t get his header on target. The ball floats harmlessly wide left.
79 min: Ramsey skates in from the left and crashes a shot across Pope and off the right-hand upright. A reminder that Watkins has also hit the woodwork, twice, while Asensio has missed a sitter. This isn’t good for Newcastle as it is; scant consolation, perhaps, but this could have become super-ugly.
77 min: Newcastle, utterly stunned by Villa’s 11-minute triple-blow, make a triple change, replacing Isak, Barnes and Trippier with Wilson, Willock and Krafth.
GOAL! Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle United (Onana 75)
What an impact the two subs have made! Ramsey with an assist, now Onana with a goal! Tielemans sends Rogers clear down the middle. He’s one on one with Pope, but can’t force the ball past the keeper, who parries well. But the rebound falls to Rogers, who pulls back to Onana, just to the left of the D. Onana creams an unstoppable shot into the top left, and Villa are as rampant as the lion on their crest!
GOAL! Aston Villa 3-1 Newcastle United (Burn og 73)
Ramsey, only just on, jinks his way down the left, reaches the byline, and looks for Tielemans at the near post with a low cross. Tielemans misses the ball but his presences confuses Burn, who shanks into the bottom-left corner past his equally discombobulated goalkeeper.
72 min: Isak and Gordon combine briskly down the left to win a corner, but nothing comes of it. Villa then replace McGinn and Asensio with Ramsey and Onana. “But Pongo made it big in 101 Dalmatians,” quips Steve from Salisbury.
70 min: Newcastle have responded well to the Villa goal, in as much as they’re seeing more of the ball. Since going 2-1 down, they’ve made 45 successful passes to Villa’s five.
68 min: Barnes, now switched to the right flank after the substitution, wins a corner off Maatsen. Nothing comes of it. “I got curious as to why Tom Waring acquired the nickname ‘Pongo’ and apparently he was named after a pugilistic cartoon dog,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Pongo the Pup was Pathé’s attempt at getting into the animation game, and while the shorts have old-school charm, you can understand why Pongo didn’t join Mickey, Felix or Betty on the firmament.”
66 min: Newcastle were planning a change anyway, and now they make it, replacing Murphy with Gordon. Murphy’s last act of the evening was a failure to track Maatsen.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 Newcastle United (Maatsen 64)
Rogers slips a pass down the inside-left channel for Watkins, who shuttles it on to Maatsen on the overlap. Maatsen enters the box, draws Pope, and smashes a shot across the keeper and into the right-hand side of the net! Lovely finish, and lovely pass from Watkins to tee him up.
63 min: Guimaraes busies himself on the edge of the Villa box, before forcing the ball wide left to Isak, who attempts to steer a shot across Martinez and in. That’s not happening. Guimaraes ended that run by clanking clumsily into Kamara, and preposterously claims a penalty. He doesn’t get it, and out of frustration fouls Tielemans. Now he’s in the book.
61 min: Kamara passes long down the middle. McGinn meets the bouncing ball as it passes him and lashes goalwards. Pope bats it away. Rogers latches onto the rebound and whacks a long-distance shot straight at the keeper. A good chance for McGinn, that.
60 min: Villa play the free kick short and it’s a complete waste of everyone’s time.
59 min: McGinn is clipped from behind by Guimaraes, who must be testing the referee’s patience now. His fourth foul, two more than anyone else this evening. Just a lecture. A free kick, just to the right of centre.
57 min: Asensio curls onto the head of Mings, who sends a poor header high and wide right.
56 min: Tielemans wins the ball 30 yards from the Newcastle goal and slips Watkins into the box down the left. Schar comes across to block. Villa come again, and Guimaraes is forced to foul Asensio out on the left. Asensio over the free kick. A chance to load the Toon box.
55 min: For the first time this evening, the pace drops. Both teams put a shift in during the week.
53 min: Cash barrels down the right and wins a corner off Livramento. Asensio swings it to the near post. Tielemans eyebrows a header across Pope. It’s heading into the bottom left, but Tonali clears off the line and away. Ah hold on, replays show the header was always sailing wide, but not by a great distance, and Tonali couldn’t take any chances. Fine play all round.
51 min: Guimaraes barges his way past Asensio and into the Villa box down the right. Konsa comes across to block his run. Guimaraes goes over but there’s no foul. Villa counter, McGinn’s persistence down the inside-left channel winning a corner off a wandering Pope. Nothing comes of the set piece. A slightly scrappy start to the half by both sides.
49 min: Tonali wrestles the ball off Tielemans and feeds Barnes down the left, but the cross that comes in is no good. Villa counter, Tielemans looking for Watkins with a wedge down the middle, but Burn reads the danger and heads clear.
47 min: Newcastle are seeing more of the ball during these early second-half moments, though they’re not doing a whole lot with it.
Villa get the second half started. They’re kicking towards Pongo’s ashes in this second half. No changes.
Half-time entertainment … and here are a couple of random, but nevertheless illuminating, snippets about that man Pongo Waring (167 goals in 226 appearances for Villa) from old editions of The Knowledge.
“The story goes while playing for Aston Villa in a match at Villa Park, Waring had gone to fetch the ball that had gone out of play. He then heard someone making an insulting remark, waded into a crowd, punched the offender and then received a round of applause when he returned to the pitch. He was neither sanctioned, sent off, punished by his club/the FA nor was he charged by the police, and remains a legend with Aston Villa supporters to this day.”
“There is one visitor who scored more than eight goals at Old Trafford – the magnificently named Aston Villa legend, Tom ‘Pongo’ Waring. Pongo scored twice in 2-2 draw on New Year’s Day 1929 and two more in a 3-2 win in March 1930. The following season, he scored all four in a 4-3 opening day victory on his way to becoming the league’s top scorer with 49 goals in the 1930-31 campaign. Manchester United were relegated that season, so Pongo was unable to add to his eight-goal Old Trafford tally with Villa. However, after transferring to Barnsley, Pongo scored another at Old Trafford in a 1-1 draw on Boxing Day 1935 in a Division Two clash. So that’s nine Old Trafford goals against Manchester United for Pongo Waring.”
HALF TIME: Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle United
That was good fun from the get-go. A feeling that there’s more goals in this.
45 min +2: Livramento is becoming quite the presence out on the Newcastle left. He jinks his way down the flank before teeing up Guimaraes, who leans back and hoicks a wasteful shot over the bar. “Looking forward to more of the Jarred Gillet Experience in the second half,” writes Chris Paraskevas. “Nowhere near the required level. So inconsistent from game-to-game and within games. Books players when he feels like it.”
45 min +1: The first of three additional minutes.
45 min: Watkins is causing Schar all sorts of bother. He drops a shoulder in an attempt to skin him on the outside. He goes over the defender’s leg and claims a penalty, but the referee’s quite correctly not interested. There was little to no contact, and if there was any, it was Watkins attempting to initiate it.
44 min: Isak crosses from the right. Livramento attempts to curl a precise sidefoot back across Martinez and into the bottom right. It’s blocked. Tonali then tries to round the keeper on the left, but slips and Martinez is able to claim.
43 min: Martinez releases Watkins down the inside-left channel with a raking long pass. Watkins teases Schar by twisting him this way and that, but upon entering the box dribbles a poor effort across Pope and harmlessly wide right. Somewhere in the multiverse, Watkins has bagged four goals already.
41 min: Rogers sashays past Murphy with a delicious shift of the ball from right foot to left. Joelinton, sensing things opening up in front of the Villa man, clips him from behind and goes into the book.
39 min: Villa push Newcastle back for the first time in a while. There’s no way through an organised defence, though. In desperation, Tielemans, quarterbacking from deep, tries to ping Cash clear down the right but wellies the ball straight out for a goal kick.
37 min: Rogers advances down the left. He’s not challenged, so upon reaching the edge of the box he chances his arm with a shot. His powerful effort is turned around the post by Pope. That’s Villa’s first shot on target since Watkins’ 32-second effort, a stat that doesn’t quite tell the whole story of this match, given Watkins has subsequently hit the woodwork twice.
36 min: Isak tries to burst into space down the right but is cynically – albeit lightly – tugged on the shoulder by Tielemans. The referee doesn’t whistle. Isak frowns quite a lot.
35 min: Tonali spins in from the left and curls a low shot towards the bottom right. Martinez, initially unsighted, turns it around the post late. It might have taken a little deflection en route off Konsa, too, so that’s a fine reaction save. Burn meets the resulting corner with a weak header that flaps miles wide right.
