Ollie Watkins powered Aston Villa to a dominant 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Saturday, reigniting their Champions League qualification hopes simply days after their dramatic exit from this season’s match.
Villa’s European desires had been dashed Tuesday as they fell wanting finishing a shocking comeback within the quarterfinal second leg in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Unai Emery’s aspect rapidly shrugged off the frustration, decided to safe a spot in subsequent season’s elite competitors.
Newcastle, arriving at Villa Park on the again of 5 consecutive wins, had been overrun by a superb efficiency from Watkins. He opened the scoring within the first minute and later arrange Ian Maatsen to offer Villa the lead once more after Fabian Schar’s equalizer.
Dan Burn’s personal objective and Amadou Onana’s blistering strike sealed Villa’s emphatic victory as they climbed to sixth within the Premier League.
Villa, winners of their final 5 league video games, are simply two factors behind third-placed Newcastle in a gripping battle to safe one of many high 5 positions that assure Champions League qualification.
With a vital journey to fourth-placed Manchester City looming Tuesday, Emery’s males sit degree on factors with fifth-placed Nottingham Forest, who go to Tottenham for his or her sport in hand on Monday.
Jason Tindall remained in command of League Cup winners Newcastle within the absence of Eddie Howe, who was nonetheless out after affected by pneumonia.
After profitable their first two video games with out Howe, the Magpies got here again all the way down to earth.
Emery had urged Villa followers to supply a spark of electrical energy with an environment the equal of the PSG tie.
The decibel ranges round Villa Park reached ear-splitting quantity after simply 33 seconds.
Sandro Tonali’s miscued clearance went straight to Youri Tielemans, and his cross despatched Watkins via for a drive that deflected in off Schar.
Rampant Villa
It was Villa’s quickest objective of the league season, and Watkins, changed by Marcus Rashford within the beginning lineup in opposition to PSG, was enjoying with some extent to show.
The England striker went near netting once more moments later with a ferocious strike that smacked again off the underside of the crossbar, with Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope rooted to the spot.
Schar hauled Newcastle degree within the 18th minute, the Swiss worldwide rising on the far put up to satisfy Harvey Barnes’ cross with a header that went via the legs of Villa keeper Emiliano MartÃnez.
Villa had been unfazed. Watkins met Marco Asensio’s free kick with a header that thumped in opposition to the put up from 10 yards.
Tonali’s long-range blast compelled MartÃnez to scramble because the Argentine saved at full stretch.
Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers had acres of area for a thunderous shot that was repelled by Pope.
Youri Tielemans’ glancing header from Asensio’s nook was cleared off the road by Tonali early within the second half.
Villa’s stress was lastly rewarded in eye-catching fashion within the sixty fourth minute.
Asensio’s sweeping crossfield cross and Watkins’ astute ball into the Newcastle space teed up Maatsen, who capped his lung-bursting run with a composed end previous Pope from 12 yards.
Villa struck once more within the 73rd minute when Jacob Ramsey’s cross towards Tielemans was changed into his personal web by Burn.
Emery’s males had been rampant. Onana put the seal on their dynamic show two minutes later when he blasted into the highest nook from the sting of the world.
Source: www.dailysabah.com