Newcastle United picked up their third win in a row in the Premier League for the first time since 2018 when Rafa Benitez guided the team to a great run.
The Magpies now have a week to recover but their next challenge will be whether they can make it four victories on the spin, again for the first time in four years.
The last time that happened was also under Rafa when United beat Southampton, Huddersfield, Leicester and Arsenal over the space of five weeks with that particular run all but securing Premier League status.
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United now travel to West Ham and go in against a Hammers outfit fighting for a place in the Champions League no less.
Four successive wins won't be enough to stave off the threat of the drop but if Newcastle find themselves sitting on 24 points next Saturday night with 14 matches to play few will argue they will go on to stay up after their worst start ever in the Premier League.
LISTEN: INSTANT REACTION - NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-0 ASTON VILLA
The incredible turnaround that gives Newcastle fans hope
Things were looking very different for Eddie Howe and his players just three games ago at St James' Park.
Back then Newcastle were sat in second bottom spot and locked in what looked like an intense four team battle for one survival place.
But three wins in a row have transformed the situation at the bottom for Howe and co who now find themselves within swinging distance of those just outside of the top 10.
Howe stressed why it was important not to get too carried away, especially with a difficult trip to West Ham around the corner, but bearing in mind Norwich travel to Liverpool next weekend and Watford take on a wounded Villa, victory could in the capital could see the bottom three cut adrift from the Magpies.
Then it could well be a case of: "Crisis, what crisis?"
Chris Wood is an unsung hero
Others may have got the plaudits from pundits and journalists but on closer examanation the New Zealand striker was unbeatable in the air.
His physical and towering presence is there for all to see and he won an incredible 13 aerial battles on Sunday.
It looked like Wood was going to take the penalty that wasn't and while the former Burnley man hasn't notched yet, it showed he is not short on confidence.
The goals will come for the big striker but on a day when a gritty 1-0 win put Newcastle four points clear of the dropzone with a game in hand, nobody is going to grumble about the 30-year-old's wait for that first goal.
Dan Burn's "private" moment just after the final whistle
Burn will probably find what has happened to him in the last few weeks very hard to process but the dream is real for the lad from Blyth.
There were no nerves from the 6ft 7in defender who signed for £13million from Brighton & Hove Albion last month.
Against Villa, he stood up to the challenge and helped record a much needed clean sheet.
As his team-mates hugged each other and set off on a lap of appreciation, Burn walked slowly up to the halfway line and took as private a moment as somebody can in a football stadium as he took in the celebrations and savoured the moment.
Some fans missed it as they filed through the exit doors but Burn looked genuinely blown away by a chapter in his life that most supporters can only imagine.
Having been rejected by Newcastle as a kid but worked his way back, he is a great advert for refusing to give up in the professional game.
Ryan Fraser in the best form of his Newcastle career
The winger scored a vital goal against Everton in midweek and weighed in with another decent display at St James' Park against Villa.
Fraser's performance on Sunday came in front of watching Scotland boss Steve Clarke and assistant manager John Carver.
Having missed Scotland's last squad he will now be keeping his fingers crossed to make it into Scotland's roster for the World Cup play-off against Ukraine.
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