Aston Villa swat Newcastle aside to boost their Champions League hopes

Aston Villa put their Champions League disappointment behind them with an emphatic 4-1 win against in-form Newcastle as Unai Emery’s men continued their bid to return to European football’s top table in style.

Four days on from falling agonisingly short in a pulsating quarter-final clash with Paris St Germain, Villa Park rocked once again as the third-placed Magpies saw their six-match winning run in all competitions come to a shuddering halt.

Ollie Watkins opened the scoring 33 seconds into Saturday’s entertaining encounter and Villa reacted well after Fabian Schar avoided a red card and then levelled.

What a win. pic.twitter.com/rAJH9LngvV

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 19, 2025

Ian Maatsen’s second-half strike put the hosts on course for a potentially vital victory which was wrapped up thanks to Emery’s inspired double substitution.

Jacob Ramsey saw a low cross deflected in off Dan Burn and fellow replacement Amadou Onana lashed home the goal of a breathless game shortly after as absent Eddie Howe watched Newcastle stumble for the first time under stand-in Jason Tindall.

Villa sit sixth after Saturday’s statement victory, cutting the gap to third-placed Newcastle to two points as attention turns to Tuesday’s trip to Manchester City and their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.

Emery made four changes from Tuesday’s energy-sapping 3-2 second leg win against PSG and Watkins immediately justified his return.

Youri Tielemans collected a clearance from Sandro Tonali under pressure from Watkins, who was found by the Villa midfielder and cut away from Schar before hitting a low strike which went in off the Newcastle defender.

It was a dream start which nearly improved in the fifth minute as Villa’s striker