Aston Villa dent Newcastle United’s Top 4 ambitions with 3-0 win

Aston Villa secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Newcastle in a Premier League fixture at Villa Park.

Ollie Watkins scored twice and provided an assist to guide his team to victory, while Jacob Ramsey scored the other goal. The win moved Villa within three points of fifth place, and it also dented Newcastle’s Champions League aspirations.

Villa started the match brightly and came close to opening the scoring in the first minute when Watkins’ shot hit the post. However, they didn’t have to wait long to find the net as Ramsey latched onto Watkins’ cushioned header and smashed the ball past the Newcastle goalkeeper to give Villa the lead.

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Villa continued to dominate proceedings, and Watkins thought he had scored when he controlled the ball in the box and finished smartly, but the effort was ruled out for offside. Newcastle tried to respond, but they lacked the attacking prowess that saw them score seven goals in their last two games.

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Villa should have doubled their lead when Ramsey’s shot hit the crossbar, but they eventually did when Moreno’s low cross found Watkins, who turned his marker and finished calmly to make it 2-0. Newcastle made some changes to their lineup in an attempt to find a way back into the game, but they failed to create any clear-cut chances.

Villa continued to threaten, and Watkins added his second of the match with a low shot that went past the Newcastle goalkeeper. The win was thoroughly deserved for Villa, who dominated the match from start to finish.

The victory moved Villa closer to the top five and kept their slim hopes of qualifying for Europe alive. Newcastle, on the other hand, suffered a setback in their bid for a top-four finish and will need to regroup quickly if they are to achieve their objectives this season.