After snapping their four-game losing skid in the English Premier League, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe was happy with his team’s performance, saying they looked “more like ourselves” after defeating Aston Villa 3-1 on January 30 thanks to a double from Fabian Schar.
In the first half at Villa Park, the Swiss centre back scored twice in the span of four minutes. The lead was widened by an own goal by Alex Moreno in the second half, and Ollie Watkins’ response arrived too late to allow Villa to pull off an escape.
Although they had wins in the FA Cup against Sunderland and Fulham during their losing streak in the league, the Magpies were unable to celebrate three points for the first time since defeating Fulham on December 16.
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“Because that is a top team, I had mixed feelings about it.” The mixed aspect is that that’s something we haven’t seen in a few weeks. After winning just their second away league game of the season, Howe remarked, “We looked much more like ourselves.”
“We were cognizant that everyone was watching us.” In the Premier League, especially while playing away from home, we’ve had a dismal run. It was a noteworthy outcome.
Villa’s surprise title challenge was severely damaged by the loss. It was also their first league loss at home in 17 games since they were defeated by Arsenal in February 2023.
“It’s a little annoying. We have to accept them today because they merit it. The set pieces are where Newcastle excels. They were better in the first sixty minutes, according to Villa manager Unai Emery.
“We must seek improvement from ourselves. We must respond strategically.
Villa, bereft of their customary cohesiveness, took almost thirty minutes to attempt their first shot on goal, and Matty Cash’s effort was insufficient to beat Martin Dubravka.
In the thirty-second minute, Kieran Trippier’s corner found its way to the six-yard box, where Schar deftly deflected an effort from Ezri Konsa and stretched to beat Emiliano Martinez, the custodian for Villa, to give Newcastle the lead.
Four minutes later, the Magpies scored again, this time from a Trippier corner that was only cleared to Anthony Gordon, whose deflected shot struck the bar and bounced off Martinez before Schar closed the distance to finish.
“Set pieces, I was in the right place and fortunate to be there today.” Naturally, it was fantastic to assist the squad in scoring goals and winning,” Schar said to TNT Sport.
Newcastle sealed the victory in the fifty-second minute.
Jacob Murphy pushed Miguel Almiron’s low cross goalward, and Moreno’s sliding attempt to block it only succeeded in deflecting the ball into his own net.
In the 71st minute, Watkins scored his first goal in seven games for Villa with a diving close-range finish off a cross from Leon Bailey, but it was too little, too late.
