Newcastle 5 Aston Villa 1
Both sides headed into this game with confidence of what the season ahead had in store after successful campaigns last time out led them to European qualification. Having invested in their squads during the summer, Eddie Howe and Unai Emery are looking to build on the platforms of the previous season and make their clubs forces to be reckoned with in the Premier League.
St James’ Park, full to bursting, is never an easy place to go and The Magpies started on the front foot from the first whistle. Martinez was forced into a save and the ball was worked out wide to Anthony Gordon whose cross found the run of Sandro Tonali to smash home and register his first goal for the club, six minutes into his Newcastle debut. Gordon and Isak combined well to set up Tonali once again but on this occasion, Martinez was able to block his shot and prevent him scoring a second goal.
Aston Villa did not plan to come into this game just to absorb what The Magpies would throw at them and Douglas Luiz fed Lucas Digne down the left, his cross was flicked on by Ollie Watkins and new signing Moussa Diaby fired home on the half volley.
Trippier took a free kick inside the Villa half and played it short to Tonali who clipped a ball into the box where Isak smashed home to give Newcastle the lead once again. After a VAR check for offside, the Toon Army was sent into overdrive once it was confirmed the goal would stand. They were getting their money’s worth today with only 16 minutes gone and having already seen three goals.
Credit: @NUFC
Aston Villa’s woes were to continue as Tyrone Mings landed awkwardly when challenging Alexander Isak for a ball and was stretchered off the pitch. Ollie Watkins had a chance to draw his side level in the attack but the forward dragged his shot wide of Nick Pope’s goal.
In the second half, Gordon looked to play Isak in behind the Villa defence but his pass seemed too close to defender Konsa. He got himself all tangled up and Isak capitalised inside the box before lifting a sublime finish over Martinez and into the Villa goal. Newcastle by this stage were full of confidence and felt that Villa were on the ropes, Almiron fed the ball into the path of Isak but on this occasion he drilled the ball straight at the keeper.
They say football is a game of fine margins, this was underpinned by what happened next. Diaby broke for the visitors and played the ball to Watkins, he dropped his shoulder and cut inside onto his right foot and looked to bend it into the bottom corner but Pope got down well to save. However, the ball came out to Matt Cash who was running into the box and struck his shot on the volley over the bar when the Villa player had an open goal to aim for.
Unai Emery’s team were to pay for that when Sandro Tonali found Harvey Barnes in some space down the left and he squared the ball to substitute Callum Wilson, who calmly slotted passed Emi Martinez. At this stage, The Magpies were rampant and Joelinton threaded Barnes in behind the Villa defence and he unselfishly squared it to Wilson but his effort was deflected over the bar by the legs of Martinez.
Jacob Murphy then played a through pass into the path of Harvey Barnes who took the ball on himself this time and tucked it into the bottom corner passed the Villa keeper to get a debut goal for his new club. Newcastle sent a warning to the rest of the league with this performance, while it was a reality check for Aston Villa and their fans as they suffered a heavy defeat they could not have predicted before kick-off. To compound the Villa woes, later tests confirmed that defender Mings had suffered a significant knee injury and may well be out for some time.
Credit: @NUFC
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.