Newcastle's loss of nerve exposed by Dublin strike

Newcastle United 1 Aston Villa 1

With blood from his head wound seeping through his bandages and trickling down his neck and nursing a hand broken against Manchester United, Alan Shearer looked like his team felt.

Newcastle United are limping towards the line which would give them fourth place and Champions' League football and as the news of Liverpool's fightback at Anfield drifted in their final three "easy games" – Sunderland, Birmingham and West Bromwich – took on a grim, daunting look.

Their lead over Liverpool, which at the start of the month appeared unassailable, is now a single point and, suddenly, Sunderland have something to play for in Saturday's Tyne-Wear derby. Having taken four of their 19 points off Liverpool this season, the Wearsiders have given their neighbours enough help already and the spur of being able to deny them Champions' League football and the revenues that come with it would be sharp indeed.

"It would not be a criminal waste, but it would be a blow and a shame if we did not make the Champions' League," Sir Bobby Robson said wearily. "We have worked so hard and given our public such a season to remember." Recently, however, there has been defending to forget.

Shearer deserves better from his team-mates. His head was split open by an early clash with Gareth Barry but, despite this, he held Newcastle together with fine, cushioned headers that invariably found space for Craig Bellamy and had a chance cleared off the line by Thomas Hitzlsperger. Eventually, he was so battered he had to go off to join Jonathan Woodgate on the sidelines. The defender's absence with a hamstring strain ensured that when Steve Staunton's free-kick was driven over there was nobody to prevent Dion Dublin choosing his spot to head home a goal that might have enormous financial consequences at St James' Park.

This young, inexperienced Newcastle side is running out of players as fast as it is losing its nerve. Aside from Woodgate and Shearer; Gary Speed, Laurent Robert and Jermaine Jenas were already absent with injury and of those Speed, who will not play again this season, is unquestionably the most grievous loss. Without the Wales captain, Newcastle lack a midfield enforcer, someone to break up the play. Should Bellamy suffer a suspension at today's FA hearing into allegations of dissent following the 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough last month, they will be weakened still further.

Newcastle did create significant chances; Lomana LuaLua sent a gorgeous, curling strike against the crossbar, Bellamy forced a full-stretch save from Peter Enckelman, but this was a side spluttering through the gears, still operating in the shadow of the 6-2 thrashing handed out by Manchester United.

Logically, Aston Villa, a club boasting a solitary away win all season, should have been a routine fixture but, as their manager, Graham Taylor, pointed out, his side has taken points from all the top six clubs, although few could have been as obviously empty of confidence as Newcastle.

Not even the goal, a free-kick delivered gorgeously from the length of a cricket pitch by Nolberto Solano, could quite energise a side which until Manchester United's arrival had seemed irresistible at St James'. It came after a foul on Kieron Dyer by Gareth Barry that was compounded by a flash of dissent that had the referee, Jeff Winter, advance the ball by 10 yards.

"It is utterly crazy," Taylor said. "Every professional footballer knows the position; if you are going to be cautioned for dissent, the ball is going to be moved forward. It was completely lacking in professionalism and we got the full punishment from it." It was, however, as nothing compared to the punishment Dublin's goal inflicted on Newcastle.

Newcastle United (4-4-2): Given 6; Griffin 5, O'Brien 6, Woodgate 6 (Bramble 5, 51), Hughes 6; Solano 6, Dyer 5, Viana 3, Bernard 5 (LuaLua 6, 74); Bellamy 5, Shearer 8 (Ameobi, 74). Substitutes not used: Acuña, Harper (gk).

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Enckelman 6, Edwards 4 (Taylor 6, 34), Mellberg 6, Johnsen 7, Samuel 6, Leonhardsen 5, Hitzlsperger 4 (Dublin 6, 64), Staunton 7, Barry 4 (Whittingham 6, h-t), Allback 4, Vassell 6. Substitutes not used: Angel, Postma (gk).

Referee: J Winter (Stockton) 4.