Aston Villa 4-1 Newcastle United: Post Match Aston Villa Ratings
Leo Gibson-Warrell
4 – 6 minutes
Aston Villa delivered a commanding performance to end Newcastle United’s five-match winning streak with a convincing 4-1 victory at Villa Park.
The home side struck early in the first minute as Youri Tielemans slipped a pass through to Ollie Watkins, whose effort deflected off Fabian Schär and into the net for an own goal.
Despite Villa’s dominance in the opening stages, Newcastle found an equaliser against the run of play when Schär made amends by heading home from a corner, making it 1-1 midway through the first half.
The second half began more evenly, but Villa regained the lead with a swift counter-attack. Ian Maatsen overlapped brilliantly down the left and rifled a low strike across the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
Unai Emery’s substitutions proved decisive in the 67th minute. Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana made an instant impact — Ramsey providing the assist for Villa’s third before Onana capped the performance with a composed finish for the fourth.
Villa maintained control in the closing stages to seal an important win that keeps their Champions League ambitions firmly on track. The result sees them climb the table while halting Newcastle’s strong momentum in emphatic fashion.
Player Ratings
Emi Martínez – 7
Could have done better with Schär’s goal, which slipped past him at a tight angle. However, he made several strong saves afterwards and his passing and distribution from the back were composed and contributed to Villa’s build-up play.
Matty Cash – 6
Handled Harvey Barnes well defensively, staying tight and limiting his influence down the flank. He was less effective going forward, with his final balls lacking quality.
Ezri Konsa – 7
A calm and composed performance at the back, rarely putting a foot wrong. He kept Alexander Isak quiet and dealt with Newcastle’s pressure with ease. His positioning and anticipation stood out throughout the match.
Tyrone Mings – 7
Mings was dominant in the air and physically strong across the 90 minutes. He won numerous duels and played a key role in nullifying Isak alongside Konsa. A no-nonsense, reliable performance from the centre-back.
Ian Maatsen – 8
Lost his man for Newcastle’s equaliser, but bounced back with a brilliant display. He pushed forward, supporting the attack with overlapping runs and even got his first Premier League goal with a cool finish. Also contributed with some timely defensive tackles.
Boubacar Kamara – 8
A force in midfield, breaking up play with well-timed challenges and relentless energy. He was excellent at winning the ball and progressing it forward. His physicality and composure gave Villa a strong foundation in the middle of the pitch.
Youri Tielemans – 9
Dictated the game from midfield with classy passing and composure under pressure. Set up the opening goal and constantly linked defence to attack with seamless control. Arguably man of the match, he was the heartbeat of Villa’s performance.
Morgan Rogers – 7
Struggled to get involved early on but improved as the game progressed. He created chances and provided an outlet on the wing. Played a key role in the fourth goal with a clever setup.
Marco Asensio – 7
Showed his technical quality with neat touches and effective link-up play. Drew defenders in and won fouls that helped Villa control tempo. Missed a decent chance and couldn’t quite find a shooting rhythm, but contributed overall.
John McGinn – 7
Did the dirty work in midfield, recovering possession and supporting both attack and defence. His energy and grit were vital in Villa’s transitions. A classic all-action performance from the captain.
Ollie Watkins – 9
Got Villa off to a flying start with a deflected early goal and was a constant threat. Hit the post twice and gave Newcastle’s back line a nightmare with his pace and movement. Easily one of the most influential players on the pitch.
Jacob Ramsey – 7
Came on and made an immediate impact, assisting within seconds of his introduction. Added drive and composure in the final third.
Amadou Onana – 7
Scored with a confident finish and helped lock things down in midfield late on. Physically strong and composed on the ball. A very effective cameo that added depth and control when it mattered.
Barkley, Rashford, Malen – N/A
Came on too late to make a significant impact. Provided fresh legs to help see out the game. No major moments to evaluate but all did what they were supposed to.
