Aston Villa showed incoming manager Unai Emery the scale of the job as they demolished Newcastle 4-0 at St James’ Park.
Emery was absent from the stands in the North East as Aaron Danks saw his spell in charge end on a sour note despite a brilliant first half for the visitors.
They made a number of good openings in the first period, including 10 minutes into added time, thanks to a series of injury interruptions, until Ashley Young’s open handball allowed Callum Wilson to open the scoring at the last minute. penalty, he duly obliged.
The second half was a contrast to theirs with Newcastle’s brilliance and Villa’s woes. Training Ground nodded in a second from a corner and Joelinton added a third three minutes later to end the game as a tie.
Newcastle continued to tear their visitors apart at will, with Wilson and Jacob Murphy both denying the woodwork, while Miguel Almiron continued his blistering form with a superb curling effort from 25 yards to add real sparkle to the home victory.
Emery will still have the luxury of taking on a side outside the bottom three, but will be concerned after the manner of their collapse, while Newcastle’s win, coupled with results elsewhere, will see them open a three-point gap on the top four.
How a second-half collapse brought Villa down
The last time Villa won a Premier League game at St James’ Park, Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer were both sent off for brawls – and the retirement of both players almost a decade ago is an indication of what a miserable hunting ground it is. proved.
But after last weekend’s 4-0 win over Brentford, Danks’ side came in confident and kept Newcastle at bay for most of the first half, a lack of rhythm on either side not helped by two stoppages due to Emiliano’s injury. Martinez was eventually replaced with a concussion after taking a knee to the face of Tyrone Mings.
Almiron got the only note before the interval when he pounced on Kieran Trippier’s cross and stopped substitute keeper Robin Olsen well, but minutes later Young inadvertently raised his hand to undo all their good fortune shortly after the Paraguayan’s follow-up effort. the work.
Wilson sent Olsen the wrong way from 12 yards, with Gareth Southgate watching from the stands, with Villa still in the game before the break – but well within 11 minutes of the restart.
Miguel Almiron’s goal was his sixth in as many games
Shortly into the second half, Almiron didn’t run out to support Trippier from a corner and after a quick one-two, Wilson capitalized on some poor marking to head a cross just inside the far post.
Villa’s defense crumbled from that moment on. Wilson drove towards Mings and Ezri Konsa, who went effortlessly through the next step shortly after, and after exchanging passes with Joe Willock, he saw his effort deflected straight into the path of Joelinton, who fired into an empty net.
Almiron’s play was always a threat to add another goal to his growing collection and he drove in from Wilson’s pass midway through the second half before slotting the ball to a helpless Olsen from outside the box as Villa’s good work from last weekend’s win was quick. canceled.
That could have been denied by Wilson’s woodwork and a late challenge from Mings, while Murphy was inches away from adding a fifth.
Newcastle’s desire to add to their already impressive record spoke volumes for how far they have come, while Villa’s collapse spoke volumes for how far they still have to go. New manager Emery has a job to do at Villa Park.
What is next?
Sunday November 6 at 1:00 p.m
It starts at 14:00
Newcastlenext match a Super Sunday collision Southamptonkeep living Sky Sports starts at 14:00. The Magpies will then complete the first half of this Premier League season with back-to-back home games: vs Crystal Palace In the Carabao Cup on November 9, before the reception Chelsea on Saturday Night Football After three days, live Sky Sports from 5 o’clock in the evening.
Aston Villa Unai Emery will be available as coach for the final three games before the World Cup, starting with the matches against Manchester United.
Villa host Erik Ten Hag’s side in the Premier League next Sunday, before traveling to Old Trafford for a Carabao Cup third-round tie four days later, live Sky Sports starts at 8 p.m. Villa’s last game before the World Cup is the trip Brighton On November 13.
Thursday, November 10, 7:00 p.m
It starts at 20:00
