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
Aston Villa created unforgettable Champions League memories but the future is uncertain
Aston Villa exited the Champions League in heroic fashion against Paris Saint-Germain but their goal now is to make sure they are back next season.
It is a big week for Villa with six-pointers against Newcastle and Manchester City followed by their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
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