Newcastle's four game unbeaten Premier League run came to an end at a miserable St. James’ Park on Sunday afternoon as Aston Villa left with all three points.

A goal in each half against the run of play knocked the stuffing out of Eddie Howe’s side as the visitors completed a smash and grab raid to keep their title challenge on track.

It could have been very different if Sandro Tonali had found the net in the first 30 seconds after making space in the box with some nifty footwork but his shot was smothered and the rebound ushered to safety.

Newcastle lined up without talisman Bruno Guimaraes who was missing after being injured in the 3-0 win over PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday, Lewis Miley deputising in midfield and Tonali taking on the role of playmaker.

A bright started should have seen United take the lead but once again some promising approach play failed to create chances in the box for Yoane Wissa who started again in preference to Nick Woltemade.

Villa went ahead in the 19th minute when they were afforded far too much time and space and when Emiliano Buendia had the ball on the right side of the box he was able to steady himself before firing past Nick Pope into the far corner.

United's best chance of the half came two minutes before the interval when Miley's header looked destined for the top corner until Emiliano Martinez tipped it wide.

Wissa also managed to get his head to a cross from the left in first half added time but it lacked power and Martinez was able to save comfortably.

The second half was only a few minutes old when Joelinton signalled that he had injured his groin and was replaced by ex-Villan Jacob Ramsey who was greeted favourably by the away fans.

The hosts pressed for an equaliser and ten minutes after the break Harvey Barnes looked sure to connect to a cross from the right with Anthony Gordon also failing to capitalise.

A double substitution saw Woltemade and Anthony Elanga on for Wissa and Gordon but chances were still few and far between despite spells of pressure from the black and whites.

The killer blow came in the 88th minute when substitute Lucas Digne crossed from the left and Ollie Watkins headed in at the far post.

Despite there being well over ten minutes remaining, home fans disgracefully streamed out having seemingly forgotten about the two-goal fightback against Leeds United weeks ago.

But there was to be no late comeback this time with useless referee Jarred Gillett denying both sides what looked to be valid penalty claims in added time.

The defeat left the Magpies in ninth, when victory could have taken them as high as fourth.

Full match report to follow.

Team: Pope, Trippier, Botman, Thiaw, Hall, Joelinton (Ramsey 48), L.Miley, Tonali (Willock 84), Barnes, Wissa (Woltemade 62), Gordon (Elanga 63).
Subs n/u: Ramsdale, Burn, A.Murphy, Osula, Shahar.

Booked: Joelinton.

AVFC: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres (Mings 75), Maatsen, Onana (Lindelof 89), Tielemans (Bogarde 74), Sancho (Bailey 59), Rogers, Buendia (Digne 75), Watkins.
Subs n/u: Bizot, Elliott, Guessand, Hemmings.

Booked: Digne, Maatsen.

Goals: Buendia 19, Watkins 88.

Crowd: 52,134.

Eddie Howe said:

"Missed opportunities for us. Sandro has the chance at the start; if it goes in, it's a different game. But it didn't.

"It's a difficult one for us. There were chances and moments there. Their main threats came from long shots and they scored one. It changes the whole game.

"I don't know if it was conditions, it was blustery and windy. We can't use that as an excuse. We had enough time to recover and it's a season where we are constantly challenged.

"Villa have a similar schedule to us but just executed the final bits a bit better. I felt we could get back in the game but the second goal is a killer blow for us."

Referee: Jarred Gillett - second appearance of the Aussie official at a Magpies game this season, following the 1-2 defeat by Arsenal at SJP last September.

An unsurprisingly poor performance from the usually awful official which saw him regularly fail to spot time-wasting tactics and cynical fouls from Villa players - in particular the pathetic playacting from Martinez.

VAR: John Brooks

Stats:

Newcastle lost for the first time at home to Villa since the infamous 0-3 loss in 2005 when the hosts ended with just eight men on the field.

Bruno Guimaraes missed only his ninth PL game since debuting in February 2022 continuing a run of Newcastle never winning or scoring more than one goal without him.

2022/23 Wolves (a) drew 1-1
2022/23 Liverpool (a) lost 1-2
2022/23 Crystal Palace (h) drew 0-0
2022/23 West Ham (h) drew 1-1
2022/23 Bournemouth (a) drew 1-1
2022/23 Liverpool (h) lost 0-2
2023/24 Bournemouth (a) drew 1-1
2025/26 Bournemouth (a) drew 0-0
2025/26 Aston Villa (h) lost 0-2 

Joelinton made his 250th competitive appearance for the Magpies.

Villans @ SJP - PL era:

Champions League:
Play-off place secured

Newcastle  3  PSV Eindhoven  0

Newcastle U18s  0  Crystal Palace U18s  4

United's youngsters exited from FA Youth Cup at the Fourth Round stage on Thursday night, overwhelmed by their Crystal Palace counterparts at a rain-lashed Whitley Park.

David Angibeaud put the Eagles ahead from close range after a 29th minute corner wasn't dealt with, Benji Casey then denied by home 'keeper Roman Dowell shortly after.

The visitors doubled their lead through Casey's 66th minute shot before what was United's best chance of a goal saw Jack Mason turn a Michael Mills effort round the post.

Angibeaud's second of the tie made it 0-3 with 15 minutes remaining, before Casey added a fourth on 80 minutes to confirm a Fifth Round trip to Stevenage for Palace.

Team: Dowell, Morgan, Durrant, Moran, Johnson, Finneran, Ferreira (Patterson 88), M.Miley, Wooster, Taylor (Pinnington 70), Mills (Hutchison 80).
Subs n/u: Mair, Tika-Lemba, Lucas, Ndiweni.

Crowd: 243

Newcastle round off their Champions League, League Phase fixtures on Wednesday against PSG at the Parc Des Princes in Paris.

It's a 9pm kick-off local time, that's 8pm GMT.

NUFC fan guidance is online here

As in 2023, advice is to only use the Porte de Saint-Cloud Metro station on line 9, with a reminder that Paris Metro travel isn't included with match tickets for away fans.

A minimum 30 minute post-match hold-back is forecast, which proved accurate in terms of exiting the stadium in 2023. However, it then took at least as long again to be funnelled through a half-open gate on to the street.

Ahead of this game, Eddie Howe's side are assured of a place in the knockout phase play-offs: their goal is claim three points and snag a place in the last 16.

UEFA playoff details are online here

Team: To follow

PSG: Luis Enrique's side won 1-0 at Auxerre in Ligue 1 on Friday night, overtaking RC Lens at the top of the table.

Referee: tbc

VAR: tbc

UK TV: Live on TNT Sports

City centre bars with live TV coverage include:

The Dog & Parrot on Clayton Street West.

The tie will be on live at WonderBar in The Gate.

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UK Radio: Live on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport / talk SPORT

Stats:

Magpies @ French League sides:

1977/78 Bastia lost 1-2 Cannell (UE)
1996/97 Metz drew 1-1 Beardsley (UE)
1996/97 Monaco lost 0-3 (UE)
2001/02 Troyes drew 0-0 (IT)
2003/04 Marseille lost 0-2 (UE)
2004/05 Sochaux won 4-0 Bowyer, Shola,
Bellamy, Robert (UE)
2012/13 Bordeaux lost 0-2 (UE)
2023/24 PSG drew 1-1 (CL)
2025/26 Marseille lost 1-2 (CL)

Geordies in the Champions League - away from SJP: