Aston Villa v Newcastle LIVE: Villa deliver crushing win in battle for Champions League spots
Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle: Ollie Watkins ran the show as Villa pulled away in the second half to give their Champions League hopes a big boost
Aston Villa thumped top-five rivals Newcastle United 4-1 at Villa Park to keep themselves in the thick of the race for Champions League qualification.
Five days after being knocked out of Europe's top club competition by Paris St Germain in a thriller, Villa returned to Premier League action in emphatic fashion with Ollie Watkins opening the scoring inside the first minute.
Fabian Schar equalised for third-placed Newcastle with a header before half-time but Villa blazed clear after the break with Ian Maatsen restoring their lead before a Dan Burn own goal and substitute Amadou Onana's superb finish sealed the points.
Victory lifted Villa three points above Chelsea into sixth place with 57 points from 33 games, level with Nottingham Forest who play on Monday. Newcastle have 59 points, one more than fourth-placed Manchester City, in what is turning into a fierce battle to qualify for next season's Champions League. The top five will all qualify.
Relive Aston Villa vs Newcastle in the Premier League below
Watkins makes his point
Ollie Watkins wasn't particularly happy to be benched for both legs against PSG. Restored to the team, he looks intent on proving a point.
And in the process, he has also showed what a fine squad Villa have, because Marcus Rashford is now the substitute, should they need him.
CROSSBAR! Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 5 mins
Watkins comes agonisingly close to two goals in the opening five minutes. Again he cuts inside and rifles a shot goalwards that thunders back off the crossbar.
Pope was beaten all ends up! Watkins has started like a man on a mission.
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 3 mins
How will Newcastle respond to that goal? Not too badly as they attack and put a cross in but it’s cleared
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle (Ollie Watkins, 1 min)
OH MY WORD! Just 33 seconds in and Villa lead. The ball is played into Ollie Watkins, he cuts inside and shoots early.
The ball takes a massive deflection off the foot of Fabian Schar, wrongfoots Nick Pope and nestles in the corner of the net. A huge slice of luck but Villa won’t care!
The biggest game of the Premier League run-in
Is this the biggest game of the Premier League run-in? It feels that way. It could be the meeting of the two most in-form sides in the division. Villa have won nine of the last 10, culminating in beating Paris Saint-Germain, albeit while being knocked out.
Newcastle have won six in a row and, for the seventh successive match, field the same side. There is no Eddie Howe in the dugout, meaning Jason Tindall - sent off against Villa earlier this season - is in charge.
Aston Villa v Newcastle team news
A reminder of the team news ahead of kick-off. Ollie Watkins starts up top for Aston Villa, while Newcastle are unchanged
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinna, Kamara; Rogers, Tielemans, Asensio; Watkins
Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes
Aston VIlla v Newcastle
Only a few minutes until kick-off now at Villa Park
Newcastle's flying form
Newcastle have won their last six games in all competitions, scoring 17 goals while conceding three.
They have been strong travellers this season and have won eight of their last 10 away matches - with their defeats coming at Manchester City and Liverpool.
The last time they won ninth Premier League games away from home in a season was 23 years ago - but they could match that record with victory today.
Last time out: Newcastle continue flying form with five-star Crystal Palace thrashing
Newcastle turned on the style in the absence of head coach Eddie Howe to rout Crystal Palace and ease themselves into third place in the Premier League table.
The Magpies swept the Eagles aside in a game which had promised to be much more taxing as efforts from Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar and Alexander Isak either side of Marc Guehi's own goal and Nick Pope's penalty save from Eberechi Eze provided the perfect tonic for Howe as he continues his recovery from pneumonia.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments