Newcastle United secured a crucial 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Villa Park, marking Villa's first home defeat in the league in 346 days and dealing a significant blow to their top-four hopes. Fabian Schar's brace and Newcastle's effective tactical approach orchestrated by Eddie Howe were pivotal in achieving only their second away victory of the Premier League season. The win elevates Newcastle back to 7th place. Despite the positive result, Newcastle's Alexander Isak sustained a concerning groin injury and had to be substituted. His condition will be further assessed, with Howe hoping the injury isn't serious. Aston Villa struggled to maintain their structure, looking vulnerable throughout the match. The introduction of Leon Bailey and other substitutes in the second half brought some improvement, but it was insufficient to change the outcome.
Groin injury for Alexander Isak. Eddie Howe hopes it "doesn't look too serious" but the #NUFC forward will be assessed. Still a concern, but Howe says he basically doesn't want ins or outs now at this late stage (given PSR constraints): #AVLNEW #AVFC https://t.co/Sg9Qmklmaj
Hodgson says Eze concerns him more than Olise in terms of injuries. But says both of them were upbeat after the game. Says they need to be fully assessed. #CPFC
⚫️⚪️🇳🇱💪 A big performance from this man tonight. 📱https://t.co/kjsMQ0TUwS #NUFC https://t.co/VQDTosCxNa
Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 3: Toon deal huge blow to Villa’s top four hopes and end Unai Emery’s astonishing home record https://t.co/h9E86HKH7N https://t.co/h9E86HKH7N
Why did #AVFC look so vulnerable and why were they outmanoeuvred so convincingly? Analysis and reaction from a disappointing, questionable evening for Villa. W/@jwhitey98 & @ChrisDHWaugh for @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/gDve68LZf4
⚫️⚪️Moving On Up ⬆️ 🎶EI EI EI O Up the Premier League we go. #NUFC
Newcastle have Villa's number for the second time this season to take maximum points at Villa Park 😏 #BBCFootball #AVLNEW https://t.co/GI0bliaUAP
Only Newcastle’s second away win in the Premier League this season. Brilliant in the first half, they did what they had to in the second and close it out. A very good couple of days, Isak’s injury apart. #NUFC https://t.co/S2WyM8MGiT
Massive, massive win for #NUFC. They'll hope it is season-reviving. Immense display, given #AVFC's quality & home record. Great tactical plan from Howe. Took the 3 goals well & deserved win. Isak's injury a concern but suddenly #NUFC can look up again. Back to 7th. #AVLNEW
FT: #AVFC 1-3 Newcastle Villa beaten at home in the league for the first time in 346 days. Bailey & subs made an impact but too little too late by then. One of those nights,though could argue this result had been coming. Still in a good position but maybe a few regrets for Emery
Crystal Palace 3 Sheff Utd 2: Eze and Olise turn on style to ease Hodgson pressure after Brereton goal on 20 seconds | @JackRosser_ https://t.co/imaWrU1qMl https://t.co/imaWrU1qMl
Important win for Palace. Got there in the end. Olise and Eze brilliant.
Leon Bailey has completely transformed the mood here. Newcastle going to a back five as a result. Set up Watkins for his disallowed goal and curls a lovely pass with the outside of his boot to Nicolo Zaniolo. Should have started. #AVFC
That goal summed up both the problem and solution for #AVFC. He stretched Newcastle's back four, ran in behind and was direct. Has meant the 4-2-2-2 is not quite as one-paced or stodgy. 50th PL goal for Ollie Watkins.
GOAL Watkins 1-3. Bailey has been excellent since he's come on and sets Watkins up here. Brilliant run and low cross for Watkins to tap home. #AVFC
Goals from Dewsbury-Hall, Mavididi and Akgun give the win to Leicester. Swansea sink to 17th in the Championship ⬇️ #BBCFootball #EFL https://t.co/jbn1Nh7f3b
A consolation goal for Swansea! Scored by Joe Allen. 🦊 Leicester 3-1 Swansea 🦢 📻 Tune in LIVE on @BBCRadioWales Follow on the @BBCSport website 📲 #BBCFootball
And Swansea pull a goal back, 3-1. Another late goal conceded. This time from a poorly cleared corner. Joe Allen scores. #LCFC
Ream does superbly to touch the ball before Beto can strike, then Godfrey hits the ball into Beto, and then eventually Leno emerges with the ball. #FULEVE https://t.co/iw1RdWyUvc
Emery calls in Nicolo Zaniolo, Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey in from their warm up and will be coming on. #AVFC
Muniz free in centre of goal but puts header straight at Pickford. Big chance
8-1 across the two games so far with more than half an hour to go. Newcastle and Howe exposing #AVFC's set-up, here. When the triggers/timings/rhythm are not there, Villa look so open.
Olise is down receiving some attention from the Palace physio. Gets up without any treatment but walks off to be replaced by Jeffrey Schlupp. Applauds the fans. #CPFC
Olise is down receiving some attention from the Palace physio. Gets up without any treatment... #CPFC
Big win for Arsenal. Made it much more stressful than it had to be at the end but that puts them in a good position just two points off the top with Liverpool facing Chelsea tomorrow.
Goal! Michael Olise with a fantastic strike on the half volley. Palace 3-2 up.
That's that. Arsenal win 2-1 at the CG. A frustrating night for #NFFC who played well for so long, defending stoutly. It was a complete contrast when two mistakes, from Turner and Montiel, played a part as Arsenal went 2-0 up. Awoniyi pulled one back to give hope. But too late.
FT 1-2 #afc Arsenal survive a late scare to record back-to-back wins.
Arghh... Awoniyi has another half chance, as the ball falls to him in the box, it's not an easy one... but Raya saves his effort from a few yards out # NFFC
Yunus has made a difference since he came on. He has added more energy, and his goalscoring form is good timing if #LCFC can't do the Sensi deal.
#nffc 1-2 #afc Awoniyi shows good strength before forcing the ball home and suddenly Forest have a lifeline. Goal survives a VAR check.
GOOOAL... Awoniyi's strength helps him to pull one back, as he gets slightly lucky with a first touch that allows him to turn the Arsenal defence, before prodding home. If he meant that, it was genius. It's being checked for an offside... #NFFC
Yunus scores the third 3-0. KDH latches onto a loose ball and it is a cool finish into the bottom corner from Yunus 12 yards out. #LCFC
Leicester double their advantage! 🦊 Leicester 2-0 Swansea 🦢 📻 Tune in LIVE on @BBCRadioWales Follow on the @BBCSport website 📲 #BBCFootball
Alex Moreno puffs out his cheeks as he heads down the tunnel at half time. Emery will be unhappy with the goals #AVFC have conceded but can have no complaints about the scoreline. Villa have been punished and have got into some weird shapes with and without the ball.
Given quality of #AVFC & their home record, undoubtedly best 45 mins away in PL this season. #NUFC pressed with intensity, defended well, been smart in playing over high line & sending runners diagonally. Schar brace has them 2-0 up. Isak's injury concerning, though. #AVLNEW
HT: #AVFC 0-2 Newcastle Villa had been flagging lately and Newcastle exposed the problems in the half. High line is being exposed (like the reverse fixture) and the shape is too narrow, allowing Newcastle to suffocate before playing around and over with it. Need a response
Darling misses a good chance for Swansea from a free kick. The visitors are still very much in this game. #LCFC certainly need a second.
Saka makes it 2-0. Not much Turner could have done about that one. He finds the bottom corner with a driven shot. #NFFC with a mountain to climb at the CG. Move started with a stray pass from Montiel.
2-0! Another great finish (Saka) from a great assist (Jesus). Much better Arsenal.. 👏👏
Holy shit Jesus really threaded the needle there to Saka. What a ball.
#nffc 0-2 #afc Saka converts a fast counter-attack after Forest lose it cheaply. They haven't been clinical tonight but that certainly was.
Fabian Schar at the double to put Eddie Howe's side in command at Villa Park ⚽⚽ #BBCFootball #AVLNEW https://t.co/UgtzW14QAL
Now DCL onto the roof of the net with a header from Young's cross. Good spell from Everton
43' We're forced into a change as Alex Isak cannot continue. [0-2] #AVLNEW // #NUFC https://t.co/oMOW07wKiI
DCL off the BAR at the back post from Garner's corner. Big chance
Calvert Lewin clips the bar. Wins a header at the back post from a corner. Leno trapped under the delivery there. Good chance. #FULEVE
Godfrey with a low shot inside the box, deflected off Diop and wide. #FULEVE
Gabriel Jesus sneaks in past the near post! #NFOARS
Now KDH has missed a great chance at the back post from a Praet cross. Great crossfield pass from Doyle to McAteer in the build-up. #LCFC
Really smart goal from Jesus. Misses the easy one then squeezes it in from a really tight angle. Turner got to be disappointed with that. Gave him a big target to aim at.
The point of #AVFC's high line and 4-2-2-2 structure is to condense the space centrally. So Newcastle are simply going around and over instead. Villa cannot get to grips.
GOAL. Jesus finds the smallest of gaps at the near post, to squeeze a shot beyond Turner from a tight, tight angle. 1-0 to Arsenal #NFFC
Wow and it's another for #NUFC. Another corner, Gordon's long range shot is deflected onto the crossbar and Schar thunder prods his second. What's going on, it's away from home.
Harrison down on edge of box. Everton want a pen but again nothing given...
And Newcastle take the lead. The corner comes after they expose Villa's (really, really) high line again. Trippier fires the ball in, it falls to Schar who prods it in.
Gabriel Jesus strikes from six yards out but his effort cannons back off the woodwork #NFOARS
Brilliant defending from Clement Lenglet then followed up by Alex Moreno. Possession is pretty even but you get the feeling Newcastle's set-up is causing more discomfort defensively for #AVFC. Boubacar Kamara the glue for Villa, as he has been in recent weeks.
That should have been the perfect goal for Arsenal. Jesus just can’t afford to miss that sort of big chance.
Jesus is denied only by the post, as Arsenal almost make the breakthrough at the CG #NFFC
Great save from Turner to keep out Saka... got down and had a strong hand to push his shot away #NFFC
Awoniyi, the half-time substitute (for Wood), is already giving the Arsenal defence a tough time. #NFFC have a free-kick and the chance to deliver into the box - but William's can't quite muster enough power in his header.
Awyoniyi and Elanga gave Arsenal a lot of problems at the Emirates. With one now on, and another presumably to follow, I expect them to offer more threat on the break in this half.
These things are relative given their awful away form this season, but pretty solid from #NUFC so far. They're getting in behind the Villa defence with something approaching regularity.
Martinez saves from Gordon after #AVFC's high line is breached. Slightly curious as to why Villa are starting high but are actually back-tracking when the ball is about to go over the top - they usually step up and try to play offside.
HT 1-0. KDH opened the scoring and still looks #LCFC's biggest threat.
It's half time in Leicester. Swansea finished the half strongest but the score remains 1-0 to the league leaders. ⚽️ 📻 Tune in LIVE on @BBCRadioWales Follow on the @BBCSport website 📲 #BBCFootball https://t.co/wtnlO33ZLs
Awoniyi on for Wood at half-time changes the dynamic of Forest's attack. Different problem for Arsenal to deal with. https://t.co/YVfx98HjOe
HT. 0-0. Both sides have had decent chances. Fulham most effective down the left, when Willian and Cairney dictate play. Closest shave came when Castagne cleared off the line, Jimenez with Fulham's best chance. #FULEVE
The home fans were getting frustrated but Mavididi has nearly put them 2-0 up, but a great save from Rushworth to tip his shot onto the bar. Now Daka blazes one over the bar from a good position. #LCFC
Goal! Brilliant individual goal by Eberechi Eze. Gets some space and thumps it into the back of the net from outside the area. 2-2.
As you'd expect, a good competitive start. Both teams want to go into a back three in possession and the middle of the park is frantic. Watkins tasked with stopping passes into Guimaraes, with Kamara & Luiz having to do a lot of running. Pace in behind a threat for both. #AVFc
HT and #NFFC have defended very well. Have not given Arsenal many sights of goal. They lack the pace to hurt the visitors on the counter... but if they can hold out in the early stages of the second half, they do have Elanga and Awoniyi on the bench to help change that... 0-0.
Danjuma with a good chance. Ball drops to him via a deflection, gets to the box, does well to cut inside of Palhinha but balloons his shot. At the other end, De Cordova-Reid's shot is blocked after a swift beak. 32' gone. #FULEVE
Palace equalise through Eberechi Eze. Clever ball from Olise and Eze makes the run to get to it first and put it in on the volley. 1-1.
Talk about quietening down a home crowd 🤫 Ben Brereton-Diaz gives Sheffield United a dream start at Crystal Palace 🤩 #BBCFootball https://t.co/aolS3luqG1
Harrison's run towards the box halted by Palhinha on the edge. Everton free kick and a yellow for the Fulham man. Shooting chance right of centre - Harrison, Young & Danjuma over it...
Palhinha booked for a foul on the edge of the box on Harrison. #FFC
Arsenal had 78 per cent possession in the opening 35 minutes but no shots on target. They can push so far up the pitch because Forest are so deep/have little pace to utilise on the counter-attack but need to move the ball quicker to create more openings.
Everton think they've scored as Tarkowski's deflected shot bounces down off the bar. Fulham defender just prevents it from going over line. Then calls for a pen but nothing given
Arsenal had 78 per cent possession in the opening 35 minutes but just one shot on target. They can push so far up the pitch because Forest are so deep/have little pace to utilise on the counter-attack but need to move the ball quicker to create more openings.
Palhinha meets a Pereira free kick, header flies just over. #FULEVE
Should have been 2-0. Daka misses a sitter after KDH gets in behind the defence again and squares for him. on a plate but he slices it wide. #LCFC
A first (needed) emergency Palhinha slide. Calvert-Lewin picks up the ball centre field, has too much time to turn and run, but just as he reaches the edge of the box Palhinha's scything across the turf to win it back. #FULEVE
MGW wanted a pen for handball when the ball struck Rice... Arsenal counter quickly and Toffolo has to produce an outstanding, vital challenge to deny the visitors a goal #NFFC
That was quick! 😳 Dewsbury-Hall puts Leicester ahead after three minutes. 📻 Tune in LIVE on @BBCRadioWales Follow on the @BBCSport website 📲 #BBCFootball
Decent chance for Harrison, Fulham switch off and Calvert-Lewin tees up Harrison to shoot left-footed. Should hit the target. #FULEVE
Harrison with an early chance from DCL's layoff but just past the post. Decent opening
That didn't take long. 1-0 and it is that man KDH who puts City ahead. A defence-splitting pass from Daka and a cool finish. #LCFC
Wrote recently about this being a pivotal few months in Emile Smith Rowe's career. Gets the start he deserves tonight - heard he trained v well in Dubai. But there's also pressure to take the opportunities when they come along. @TheAthleticFC 🔴⚪️ #AFC https://t.co/DwuEO1IreV
Team news is in! 👀 🦊 Leicester v Swansea 🦢 ⏰ KO 19:45 📻 @BBCRadioWales FM/DAB SW #BBCFootball https://t.co/fjv90rIepo
Emile Smith Rowe makes his first Premier League start since October #NFOARS
⚫️⚪️Newcastle Head Coach Eddie Howe says he sympathises with travelling supporters ahead of this evening's late kick-off at Villa Park. #NUFC
⚫️⚪️🗣️"Being solid defensively is the hallmark of an away performance" Newcastle Head Coach Eddie Howe says they're looking to improve on the side's away form this season. #NUFC
⚫️⚪️🗣️"We've still got so much to play for" Eddie Howe says it's important to get a result tonight to close the gap on those above in the Premier League table. #NUFC
Can Newcastle break Aston Villa's clean sheet against them at Villa Park? #NUFC
TUESDAY night under the lights ️⚽️ @AVFCOfficial v Newcastle Utd Villa Park 📍 Football Phone-in 6pm 📲 Team News 7.15pm 🗒 Live comms 8.15pm 📻 #PremierLeague #avfc https://t.co/4uHeD1n4Fx
Unai Emery says he “100 per cent” wants to keep Jacob Ramsey after Newcastle’s approach. Ramsey could be sold as part of PSR fears but wants him to stay this month. #AVFC also hope to add “one or two players” before the deadline. Story @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/yg2oRyJSmL
Unai Emery on outgoings: "I don't want to move the main players we have in the squad." #AVFC
🗣️ "I want to keep him here with us" Unai Emery on the future of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey 💬 https://t.co/QwyM6If2ss
"What we won't do is bring a player in without losing one the other way. I think that would be impossible." Eddie Howe admits Newcastle cannot make additions unless one of the current squad departs ⬇️ https://t.co/8XCDYRtMAl https://t.co/rkZXsmHANj
Roy Hodgson says Michael Olise is available to play tomorrow against Sheffield United. Only players out are Cheick Doucoure and Rob Holding, while Joel Ward is not back to full fitness. #CPFC
Eddie Howe gives updates on Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes and transfers ahead of Aston Villa v Newcastle. #NUFC @Raisbeck10 https://t.co/ByQsRHxV0w
⚪️⚫️ Eddie Howe: “Probably what we won't do is bringing a player in without losing a player the other way”. “I think that's impossible”. https://t.co/dZZKH0JIUs
Another coy presser from Eddie Howe on #NUFC transfers. No real clarity on whether will be incomings or outgoings. Says he "hopes" Miguel Almiron will travel to #AVFC, but can't confirm he'll stay. But no bids for #NUFC players (yet) beyond Trippier: https://t.co/HVG3W6N3V1
"We're still waiting to see what will happen" ⏳ Eddie Howe on whether Newcastle will sign any players this transfer window ⬇️ https://t.co/BU8xBVL0nD
Jacob Ramsey is of interest for #NUFC in the final week of the window. @David_Ornstein reports that #NUFC have made an approach for the #AVFC midfielder, but likely need an outgoing before they can conclude an incoming this week: https://t.co/8YhyaUEQTG
Newcastle make shock transfer approach for Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey https://t.co/Kz50WFv4pQ https://t.co/JGxTO7Hme9
“F***ing awesome..." @alanshearer experiences the #NUFC away end for the 1st time since 1985, with 2 Geordie scorers, as #NUFC advance into the FA Cup 5th round for just the 2nd time in 18 years. This weekend ensured the club's season still has meaning: https://t.co/9rBWC2NWpw