Aston Villa thumped top-five rivals Newcastle United 4-1 at Villa Park to keep themselves in the thick of the race for Champions League qualification.
Five days after being knocked out of Europe's top club competition by Paris St Germain in a thriller, Villa returned to Premier League action in emphatic fashion with Ollie Watkins opening the scoring inside the first minute.
Fabian Schar equalised for third-placed Newcastle with a header before half-time but Villa blazed clear after the break with Ian Maatsen restoring their lead before a Dan Burn own goal and substitute Amadou Onana's superb finish sealed the points.
Victory lifted Villa three points above Chelsea into sixth place with 57 points from 33 games, level with Nottingham Forest who play on Monday. Newcastle have 59 points, one more than fourth-placed Manchester City, in what is turning into a fierce battle to qualify for next season's Champions League. The top five will all qualify.
Relive Aston Villa vs Newcastle in the Premier League below
Aston Villa vs Newcastle LIVE: Latest Premier League updates
- Aston Villa thump Newcastle 4-1 in the Premier League
- Both teams are chasing Champions League football next season and Villa close the gap
- 75' GOAL! Onana stunningly curls into the top corner (AVL 4-1 NEW)
- 73' GOAL! Tielemans's shot spins in off Burn for an own goal (AVL 3-1 NEW)
- 65' GOAL! Maatsen finishes smartly after overlapping run past Watkins (AVL 2-1 NEW)
- 18' GOAL! Schar heads home Barnes's stunning cross (AVL 1-1 NEW)
- 1' GOAL! Watkins's shot deflects into the net for an early Villa lead (AVL 1-0 NEW)
Aston Villa FC 4 - 1 Newcastle United FC
Spectacular Villa earned their win
19:33 , Richard Jolly at Villa ParkSpectacular game, spectacular performance from Villa. They are not in the top five, Forest have a game in hand and Villa have some difficult matches.
And yet, if they play like this, they will surely end up in the Champions League spots. Which means two of Newcastle, Forest, Manchester City and Chelsea will not.
Newcastle, meanwhile, face a test to see how they can respond after their winning run ended.
Champions League race heating up
19:31 , Luke BakerRight, so what does that do for the Champions League race? In short, brings Villa right back in. Remember the top five all qualify.
Newcastle stay 3rd on 59 points, one point ahead of 4th-placed Man City on 58. Nottingham Forest are now 5th on 57 points, while Villa are up to 6th, also on 57. Then Chelsea are 7th on 54 but have a game in hand - away to Fulham tomorrow.
This should be a spectacular fight to the finish
FULL-TIME! Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle
19:27 , Luke BakerAnd that’s it from Villa Park. An absolutely superb display by Villa, especially in the second half and Ollie Watkins - who scored after just 33 seconds - ran the show.
A big boost for Unai Emery’s side in the race for the Champions League spots
Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle, 90+3 mins
19:23 , Luke BakerMalen fancies getting in on the act but his shot across the face of goal is millimetres wide.
Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle, 90 mins
19:20 , Luke BakerInto six minutes of injury-time now, as Villa see this one out.
Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle, 87 mins
19:19 , Luke BakerRamsey gets himself a yellow card for pulling back Livramento. Bit of afters between Ramsey and Guimaraes afterward but nothing too serious.
Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle, 82 mins
19:13 , Luke BakerMore subs as Matt Targett comes on for Newcastle, while Villa make a triple sub - Marcus Rashford, Ross Barkley and Donell Malen on for Watkins, Rogers and Kamara
Emery plays his cards right
19:12 , Richard Jolly at Villa ParkWhat a 12 minutes or so for Aston Villa and what a double change by Unai Emery.
Jacob Ramsey came on to set up a goal, Amadou Onana to score one. Villa have been much the better team today. Now the scoreline shows that.
POST! Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle, 79 mins
19:10 , Luke BakerIt’s so close to five! For a third time today, Villa are denied by the woodwork as Ramsey curls one beyond Pope and it cannons off the post.
Newcastle have made a triple sub with Callum Wilson, Joe Willock and Emil Krafth coming on but it’s too little, too late surely?
GOAL! Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle (Amadou Onana, 75 mins)
19:06 , Luke BakerAnd suddenly it’s 4-1! This is getting out of hand for Newcastle.
Rogers probably should score as he jinks inside his man and shoots from 10 yards but Pope makes a really good stop with his foot.
The ball then falls to Ramsey, he lays it back to Onana and it’s a brilliant curled effort into the top corner! Classy, classy finish
GOAL! Aston Villa 3-1 Newcastle (Dan Burn own goal, 73 mins)
19:05 , Luke BakerThat is surely game, set and match. Ramsey runs at his man down the left wing and puts a low ball across the box where Tielemans turns it goalwards.
It’s not a clean hit but it hits poor Dan Burn and spins into the bottom corner. Probably an own goal, although I’m sure Tielemans will try to claim it. Villa celebrate and appear to be giving their Champions League hopes a real boost
Aston Villa 2-1 Newcastle, 71 mins
19:01 , Luke BakerTrippier curls in a Newcastle corner but it;s too deep and Guimaraes can’t keep it int.
Villa make a double change as Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey enter the fray in place of John McGinn and Marco Asensio. Can they help see this game out?
Aston Villa 2-1 Newcastle, 66 mins
18:56 , Luke BakerNewcastle were preparing a sub before that goal and make it anyway - Anthony Gordon on for Murphy, who has been quieter than usual today.
Gordon is now needed to try and find an equaliser.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 Newcastle (Ian Maatsen, 65 mins)
18:55 , Luke BakerVilla lead once more and it’s well-deserved. Maatsen has a diesel engine and he overlaps Watkins down the left, who slips him in.
Then it’s a first-time strike with his left foot beyond Pope for a lovely, and important, goal.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 64 mins
18:54 , Luke BakerLovely link-up between Guimaraes and Joelinton before the former feeds it to Isak on the left of his box but his shot is easily held by Martinez.
Guimaraes feels like he was caught just after he released the ball to Isak and he reacts by going in late on Tielemans himself. A booking for Bruno
SAVE! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 62 mins
18:52 , Luke BakerMcGinn probably should do better here. He makes a great run to get half a yard of space form his defender, the ball comes through and he hits it from the edge of the box but doesn’t catch it properly. Straight at Pope, who can push it away.
Shortly after, Rogers strikes from outside the area but it’s straight at Pope again.
This is Jason Tindall's big moment
18:50 , Richard Jolly at Villa ParkA big 30 minutes for Jason Tindall. So far everything has gone smoothly in his time in charge. He has been able to pick unchanged teams. Newcastle have won. Now this game could down to substitutions.
OFF THE LINE! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 54 mins
18:44 , Luke BakerTonali is in the perfect place at the perfect time as Tielemans gets his head to a Villa corner and flicks it towards the far post where the Italian clears off the line.
It may have been going just wide but Tonali couldn’t be sure and did the right thing in clearing it.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 52 mins
18:41 , Luke BakerGuimaraes tries to burrow his way between defenders but Mings is eventually strong enough to muscle him off the ball and Martinez can smother it.
It’s still an end-to-end game and Rogers slides a clever ball through for McGinn who wins a corner at the by-line.
Tielemans curls ina decent cross but the Newcastle defence does its job to clear
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 49 mins
18:39 , Luke BakerA more cagey start to this second half although Villa do well clear a dangerous-looking cross into their box before, at the other end, Burn reads Tielemans and covers well to head away.
KICK-OFF! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle
18:35 , Luke BakerBack underway at Villa Park. If this second half is as entertaining as the first, then we’re in for a treat.
Newcastle will be happy with a draw
18:20 , Richard Jolly at Villa ParkFantastic first half, which has flown by. Ollie Watkins was inches from a hat-trick, twice striking the woodwork.
Newcastle are lucky to be level but a 1-1 scoreline suits them better. Keep it this way and it would be a sizeable step towards Champions League qualification.
HALF-TIME! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle
18:20 , Luke BakerAnd that’s half-time. A fun 45 minutes. Villa have had the better of it and scored after just 30 seconds through Ollie Watkins. Watkins also hit the woodwork twice more.
Out of nowhere, Fabian Schar equalised from Harvey Barnes’s cross and though Newcastle have been better since that, they’ll be delighted to head into half-time level.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 45+2 mins
18:18 , Luke BakerLivramento is looking dangerous cutting in from the left wing. He lays it off to Guimaraes but he can’t get the ball out from under his feet properly and the shot is skied well over.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 45 mins
18:17 , Luke BakerNervy moment for Villa as Livramento’s shot is blocked, the ball rebounds off Asensio and Tonali is on to it but he stumbles as Martinez comes out.
Then, at the other end, Watkins goes down looking for a penalty but there’s nothing in it. Schar sticks out a leg but there’s barely any contact and the little there is was initiated by Watkins. Super-quick VAR check says nothing to see here.
Three minutes of added time.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 40 mins
18:14 , Luke BakerRogers goes on a weaving, jinking run and it ends with Joelinton going through the back of him to stop him in his tracks. Yellow card for the Brazilian.
Free-kick in the middle of the park that comes to nothing.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 37 mins
18:09 , Luke BakerRogers strides forward and hits one at goal that Pope tips wide. The corner is a bit awkward as Livramento gets in Pope’s way but he blocks the shot and Newcastle clear.
SAVE! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 34 mins
18:06 , Luke BakerMartinez gets down well to his left to tip Tonali’s shot from distance, which came after Isak’s inside ball, round the post.
Burn gets his head on the corner but he’s going away from goal and it goes well wide.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 32 mins
18:02 , Luke BakerLovely football from Newcastle as Barnes frees Livramento down the left flank. Kamara does well to block the cross for a corner. Martinez then claims Trippier’s cross.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 30 mins
18:00 , Luke BakerLivramento wins a Newcastle corner off Cash but Rogers defends it well with Guimaraes hovering at the back post. Villa clear.
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 20 mins
17:59 , Luke BakerGuimaraes trips Asensio and Villa have a free-kick ina dangerous position - out to the left of the area.
AND WATKINS HITS THE POST! He’s scored one but he could have a hat-trick. Asensio curls the free-kick in, Watkins heads it goalwards and it cannons back off the post. So unlucky for Villa
WATCH: Schar draws Newcastle level
17:57 , Luke BakerIt was a neat finish from Schar at the back stick
Newcastle are level! ⚖️
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2025
Fabian Schär squeezes it in at the back post! 🔲 pic.twitter.com/BKUXRt5bFC
Schar turns the tables
17:56 , Richard Jolly at Villa ParkMore great entertainment at Villa Park. Newcastle were battered and then suddenly they were level, Fabian Schar was encountering plenty of problems in defence and then he scored. It is six goals from centre-back for him this season.
MISS! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle, 20 mins
17:51 , Luke BakerWhat a chance for Villa! McGinn and Maatsen combine down the left with the latter cutting the ball back to Asensio eight yards out, in the centre of the goal.
A firm strike and it’s 2-1 Villa but he somehow misses his kick and the ball ends up bobbling wide. He’s probably the man you’d want in that position but he’s made a complete mess of that
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle (Fabian Schar, 18 mins)
17:50 , Luke BakerOut of nowhere, Newcastle are level! Barnes is wide on the left, cuts back on to his right foot, curls in a stunning cross to the back post where Schar gets on the end of it and nods past Martinez.
Superb cross from a man in form. Schar makes amends for deflecting in the opening goal
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 16 mins
17:47 , Luke BakerMcGinn lines up behind Nawcastle keeper Pope for the free-kick initially, causing confusion. He runs out of the way as it’s being taken, so as to not interfere with play from an offside position and Tielemans clips a ball in to Cash which he strikes from a narrow angle and Pope tips wide.
They end up getting a couple of corners before Maatsen shoots well over the top to end the threat. This match is all Villa so far.
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 14 mins
17:45 , Luke BakerKonsa loft a good-looking ball over the top with Watkins giving chase. The England striker is hauled tot he ground by Schar to stop him getting there and it’s an immediate yellow card for the Newcastle centre-back.
Schar was the last man but Pope was coming off his line and the VAR check deems Watkins wouldn’t have got to the ball anyway but he’s a lucky man. It was poor defending
WATCH: Ollie Watkins gives Villa the lead
17:43 , Luke BakerHere’s how Villa took the lead. Lucky? Sure. But what a perfect start.
"The PERFECT start for Aston Villa" 🎙️
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 19, 2025
Ollie Watkins scores his 15th goal of the season 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7Q0KpKr0vG
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 11 mins
17:42 , Luke BakerSurprisingly physical in the early stages of this one. Trippier appears to stand on a prone Watkins - was that deliberate from the Newcastle right-back? I don’t think so.
Then Burn absolutely clatters Rogers but advantage is played before a ball into the box sees Asensio go in hard on Pope but the goalkeeper claims the ball and the Villa attacker ends up going down to the floor having felt the full force of that one.
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 9 mins
17:41 , Luke BakerGood run by Isak and Guimaraes tries to find him with a ball over the top but it’s a shade too long. A warning sign for Villa though.
Watkins makes his point
17:40 , Richard Jolly at Villa ParkOllie Watkins wasn't particularly happy to be benched for both legs against PSG. Restored to the team, he looks intent on proving a point.
And in the process, he has also showed what a fine squad Villa have, because Marcus Rashford is now the substitute, should they need him.
CROSSBAR! Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 5 mins
17:37 , Luke BakerWatkins comes agonisingly close to two goals in the opening five minutes. Again he cuts inside and rifles a shot goalwards that thunders back off the crossbar.
Pope was beaten all ends up! Watkins has started like a man on a mission.
Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle, 3 mins
17:36 , Luke BakerHow will Newcastle respond to that goal? Not too badly as they attack and put a cross in but it’s cleared
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle (Ollie Watkins, 1 min)
17:33 , Luke BakerOH MY WORD! Just 33 seconds in and Villa lead. The ball is played into Ollie Watkins, he cuts inside and shoots early.
The ball takes a massive deflection off the foot of Fabian Schar, wrongfoots Nick Pope and nestles in the corner of the net. A huge slice of luck but Villa won’t care!
KICK-OFF! Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle
17:31 , Luke BakerUnderway at Villa Park
The biggest game of the Premier League run-in
17:31 , Richard Jolly, at Villa ParkIs this the biggest game of the Premier League run-in? It feels that way. It could be the meeting of the two most in-form sides in the division. Villa have won nine of the last 10, culminating in beating Paris Saint-Germain, albeit while being knocked out.
Newcastle have won six in a row and, for the seventh successive match, field the same side. There is no Eddie Howe in the dugout, meaning Jason Tindall - sent off against Villa earlier this season - is in charge.
Aston Villa v Newcastle team news
17:25 , Luke BakerA reminder of the team news ahead of kick-off. Ollie Watkins starts up top for Aston Villa, while Newcastle are unchanged
Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinna, Kamara; Rogers, Tielemans, Asensio; Watkins
Newcastle XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes
Aston VIlla v Newcastle
17:16 , Luke BakerOnly a few minutes until kick-off now at Villa Park
Newcastle's flying form
16:25 , Jamie BraidwoodNewcastle have won their last six games in all competitions, scoring 17 goals while conceding three.
They have been strong travellers this season and have won eight of their last 10 away matches - with their defeats coming at Manchester City and Liverpool.
The last time they won ninth Premier League games away from home in a season was 23 years ago - but they could match that record with victory today.
Last time out: Newcastle continue flying form with five-star Crystal Palace thrashing
16:00 , Jamie BraidwoodNewcastle turned on the style in the absence of head coach Eddie Howe to rout Crystal Palace and ease themselves into third place in the Premier League table.
The Magpies swept the Eagles aside in a game which had promised to be much more taxing as efforts from Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar and Alexander Isak either side of Marc Guehi's own goal and Nick Pope's penalty save from Eberechi Eze provided the perfect tonic for Howe as he continues his recovery from pneumonia.
Newcastle continue flying form with five-star Crystal Palace thrashing
Aston Villa created unforgettable Champions League memories but the future is uncertain
15:45 , Richard JollyAston Villa exited the Champions League in heroic fashion against Paris Saint-Germain but their goal now is to make sure they are back next season.
It is a big week for Villa with six-pointers against Newcastle and Manchester City followed by their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
Aston Villa created amazing Champions League memories but the future is uncertain
