Stunning Villa win ignites Champions League charge

Aston Villa could bounce from the Champions League straight back into the Champions League. Four days after being knocked out, they scored four goals to take a giant stride towards a swift return.

- RICHARD JOLLY

Newcastle United were last season’s upstart conquerors of Paris Saint-Germain and arguably the form team in England. They left Villa Park vanquished, their own chances of a top-five finish diminished as they were dismantled. Overpowered by Villa on the day, the danger is that they will be overtaken in the run-in.

“We are in our best moment,” said Unai Emery. For Villa, fresh from beating the potential Champions League winners, one seminal week may be leading to another. With Manchester City next, with an FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, a team with 10 wins in 11 games have momentum and strength in depth. Newcastle’s first defeat since the time when they had not won a trophy in decades came courtesy of Villa’s squad and Emery’s brilliance in using it.

When he made four changes to the starting 11, two of those he brought in, Ollie Watkins and Ian Maatsen, scored. When he made a double substitution, Jacob Ramsey promptly set up the third goal and Amadou Onana scored the fourth, one and three minutes after coming on respectively. Newcastle had the throwback tactic of naming the same 11 for a seventh consecutive game. There was no seventh straight win.

“Maybe today was a step too far for us,” said stand-in boss Jason Tindall. “Maybe a third game in six days caught up with us around about the hour.” After Newcastle inflicted 4-1 and 5-0 thrashings, they were subjected to a 4-1 drubbing. If they missed the absent Eddie Howe, watching this may not aid his recuperation.