It seems nobody told Aston Villa that the season was over. A more entertaining Villa Park Unai Emery’s side rose to sixth in the Premier League after conceding three goals in the final 20 minutes of a second-half 4-1 defeat away to Newcastle.
Newcastle remain in third and look like they may be catching up after struggling in the opening hour, and the depth of Villa’s squad is evident as Emery clears his attack with precision.
The stadium was cold and gray at the start of the match, and the air was gloomy after the surprisingly heavy smoke. It was one of the most dangerous moments of the Premier League final. Both clubs are cash-hungry at a time when profitability and sustainability rules, as well as Uefa’s revenues, are key in the era.
Newcastle arrived with an unchanged squad and a run of six games in a ruined style of football, with Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy left with sideburns. In Eddie Howe’s absence, Jason Tindall offered a sort of hype-man leadership style. Bez took the mic and worked with the team on adrenaline at the best moments.
The real rock of Howe’s Newcastle remains its murder-soccer midfield, designed to leave you bruised and breathless. Unai Emery reacted strongly to his team.For Paul Torres, Tyrone Mings is a direct inspiration. Ollie Watkins returns to the XI with Marcus Rashford on the bench.
Villa played a suicidal line-up in last season’s 5-1 defeat to Newcastle.Emery likes to tinker with the margins from game to game.The feeling here will be a little deeper at home.
33 seconds into the lead for Villa.Youri Tielemans picked up Sandro Tonali’s drifting clearance and immediately joined Watkins.He cut inside and saw his shot go for a corner.It was Watkins’ first goal since February.
Four minutes later he hit the bar from the same spot after weaving unimpeded from the right side of the defence.But Newcastle settled down and Tonali roared into possession.There were some early collisions.Dan Burn spent most of the opening 15 minutes of play on the grass, subjecting himself to various lunges and body checks.
Newcastle leveled in the 17th minute.From a free-kick into the Villa box, Barnes headed down the right and crossed deep for Fabian Schär to head into the net.
Quickly go back down the other side.Almost immediately, Ian Maatsen found space on the Newcastle right, only for Marco Asensio to miss his shot in front of goal.A perfectly missed kick.Very few of the contacts were passing without sight of the ball.With 26 minutes gone, Watkins hit the same woodwork again with a header from a free-kick.He really should have scored.
And so it continued to rise from end to end. Tonali was sent off for a full penalty from Emi Martínez.Nick Pope bounced the resulting corner over his knee after Morgan Rogers drove it away. The score was still 1-1 at extra time.
It’s more like after a break.A comfortable seat of a midfielder, John McGinn has seen more of the ball in his section of the game.After an hour, Pope made a good save from McGinn, who raced to the edge of his box and stuck out his hand to block.
Villa took the lead again in the 63rd minute with a fine goal, a quick pass to Watkins in midfield and Maatsen releasing Maatsen who headed outside him.He ran without breaking stride and clipped Pope into the far corner for a lovely finish.The Holte End exploded and Emery spun and punched the air on his touchline like Zorro in black.
A tired McGinn came off on 20 minutes with Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana coming off.Villa immediately struck again from the left and this time Ramsey’s cross was turned into an own goal by Burn with a flurry of legs.At that point, the other subs made it four, and after a save by Pope Rogers, Onana fired a high shot into the net.It was a brilliant finish and Emery’s top line of substitutions.
Villa continued to press.Ramsey hit the post and is now away to Newcastle.It’s an event that will be etched in the memory of springtime fun.There is a tangible momentum heading into the final countdown for Villa.
