Ollie Watkins powered Aston Villa to a dominant 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Saturday, reigniting their Champions League qualification hopes just days after their dramatic exit from this season’s tournament.
Villa’s European dreams were dashed Tuesday as they fell short of completing a stunning comeback in the quarterfinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Unai Emery’s side quickly shrugged off the disappointment, determined to secure a spot in next season’s elite competition.
Newcastle, arriving at Villa Park on the back of five consecutive wins, were overrun by a brilliant performance from Watkins. He opened the scoring in the first minute and later set up Ian Maatsen to give Villa the lead again after Fabian Schar’s equalizer.
Dan Burn’s own goal and Amadou Onana’s blistering strike sealed Villa’s emphatic victory as they climbed to sixth in the Premier League.
Villa, winners of their last five league games, are just two points behind third-placed Newcastle in a gripping battle to secure one of the top five positions that guarantee Champions League qualification.
With a crucial trip to fourth-placed Manchester City looming Tuesday, Emery’s men sit level on points with fifth-placed Nottingham Forest, who visit Tottenham for their game in hand on Monday.
Jason Tindall remained in charge of League Cup winners Newcastle in the absence of Eddie Howe, who was still out after suffering from pneumonia.
After winning their first two games without Howe, the Magpies came back down to earth.
Emery had urged Villa fans to provide a spark of electricity with an atmosphere the equal of the PSG tie.
The decibel levels around Villa Park reached ear-splitting volume after just 33 seconds.
Sandro Tonali’s miscued clearance went straight to Youri Tielemans, and his pass sent Watkins through for a drive that deflected in off Schar.
Rampant Villa
It was Villa’s fastest goal of the league season, and Watkins, replaced by Marcus Rashford in the starting lineup against PSG, was playing with a point to prove.
The England striker went close to netting again moments later with a ferocious strike that smacked back off the underside of the crossbar, with Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope rooted to the spot.
Schar hauled Newcastle level in the 18th minute, the Swiss international rising at the far post to meet Harvey Barnes’ cross with a header that went through the legs of Villa keeper Emiliano Martínez.
Villa were unfazed. Watkins met Marco Asensio’s free kick with a header that thumped against the post from 10 yards.
Tonali’s long-range blast forced Martínez to scramble as the Argentine saved at full stretch.
Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers had acres of space for a thunderous shot that was repelled by Pope.
Youri Tielemans’ glancing header from Asensio’s corner was cleared off the line by Tonali early in the second half.
Villa’s pressure was finally rewarded in eye-catching style in the 64th minute.
Asensio’s sweeping crossfield pass and Watkins’ astute ball into the Newcastle area teed up Maatsen, who capped his lung-bursting run with a composed finish past Pope from 12 yards.
Villa struck again in the 73rd minute when Jacob Ramsey’s cross toward Tielemans was turned into his own net by Burn.
Emery’s men were rampant. Onana put the seal on their dynamic display two minutes later when he blasted into the top corner from the edge of the area.