Fabian Schaal scored twice as Newcastle ended a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats with a tenacious victory over Aston Villa.
Villa suffered their first home league defeat of the season as Swiss defender Schaal scored both goals with a fine strike from close range.
Alex Moreno's own goal gave Newcastle a three-goal lead before Ollie Watkins pulled a goal back.
Watkins put the ball into the net for the second time, but was flagged for offside.
Villa ended up regretting their chance to catch up with Premier League leaders Liverpool and remain in fourth place, five points behind the Reds, who have played the most games.
Newcastle have moved up to seventh in the table, but are still 11 points behind Villa in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League.
The spirit of the Shah is rekindled on Howe's side.
The Magpies showed a more confident display and deserved victory against Villa, who had won 28 of their 30 points at home prior to this encounter.
Anthony Gordon, in particular, repeatedly outmaneuvered Villa's defense with clever and tricky moves, and spearheaded the attacking play with cunning and flair.
Similarly, Alexander Isak looked an attacking threat until he was forced off midway through the first half with an injury.
But Eddie Howe will have been particularly pleased with his side's content and eye-catching style moments en route to their second away win of the season.
Charles was the embodiment of this. He was disciplined, gutsy, and methodical in his defense and never shied away from blocks or challenges. At the other end of the pitch, he was clinical.
Villa's defense was blamed for allowing Kieran Trippier's corner kick into the six-yard box, and Schaal took the lead by sliding the ball home to Ezri Konsa.
Newcastle's second goal was pure opportunism on Schaal's part. Staying in the box after the corner, Gordon watched as Emiliano Martínez's deflected shot hit the underside of the crossbar before he slotted the ball into the net.
Seven minutes after halftime, the game was effectively over when Moreno slipped Jacob Murphy's low finish into the net.
Newcastle showed renewed energy and intensity after a slump.When the green buds of recovery begin to grow Victory over Fulham in the 4th round of the FA Cup This past weekend gave me even more optimism.
Villa title challenge reaches buffer
Unai Emery has never been able to completely break the La Liga shackles of Barcelona and Real Madrid in his home country.
They finished third in Valencia three times between 2009 and 2012, coming up short against some of the biggest names in Spanish football, but this was their best.
Emery's Villa side were aiming for a four-way race in the Premier League this season with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Prior to this encounter, they had recorded 13 wins and 43 points, their highest after 21 top-flight games in a season for 125 years, and were unbeaten at Villa Park.
However, the landscape looks a little different after the loss, where the players looked tired.
They have dropped points in four of their last five games and their chances of a title, which always seemed unlikely, appear to be steadily fading.
Villa's players looked tired and flat-footed here. Emery's reluctance to rotate suggests they don't have the depth to achieve long range, whether by choice or design.
On the positive side, at least Watkins produced a smart finish in his 50th Premier League game, ending a run of six games without scoring. He was also a second away.
A top-four spot should still be in Villa's hands, with a place in the Europa League or FA Cup also on the cards. There's still a lot to play with.
player of match
CharlFabian Schaal
Aston Villa
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squad number31player namebailey
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squad number7player nameMcGinn
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squad number11player nameWatkins
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squad number1player nameE. Martinez
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squad number2player namecash
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squad number8player nameTielemans
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squad numberFourplayer nameConcert
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squad number6player namedouglas lewis
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squad number41player nameJ. Ramsey
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squad number17player namelengret
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squad number15player namealex moreno
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squad number44player nameKamala
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squad number19player nameDiaby
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squad numbertwenty twoplayer nameZaniolo
newcastle united
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squad numberFiveplayer nameCharl
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squad numberTenplayer namegordon
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squad numberFourplayer namebotman
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squad number2player nameTrippier
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squad number67player namemiley
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squad numbertwenty threeplayer namemurphy
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squad number1player nameDubravka
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squad number33player nameBurn
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squad numbertwenty oneplayer nameLibrament
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squad number39player nameBruno Guimarães
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squad numbertwenty fourplayer nameAlmiron
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squad number14player nameIsaac
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squad number17player namecraft
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squad number36player nameS. Longstaff
lineup
Aston Villa
formation 4-4-2
- 1E. Martinez
- 2cash
- FourConcert
- 17lengret
- 15Moreno
- 7McGinnBooked in 77 minutes
- 44KamalaBooked in 39 minutesReplacementJ. Ramseyin 63 minutesminutes
- 6douglas lewisBooked in 72 minutes
- 8TielemansReplacementZanioloin 63 minutesminutesI made a reservation in 90 minutes.
- 19DiabyReplacementbaileyin 62 minutesminutes
- 11Watkins
substitute
- 3Diego Carlos
- 16chambers
- twenty twoZaniolo
- twenty fiveolsen
- 29Kessler Hayden
- 31bailey
- 41J. Ramsey
- 47Irogbunam
- 64light
newcastle
formation 4-3-3
- 1Dubravka
- 2Trippier
- FiveCharl
- Fourbotman
- 33Burn
- 36S. Longstaff
- 39Bruno Guimarães
- 67mileyReplacementLibramentin 75 minutesminutes
- twenty threemurphy
- 14IsaacReplacementAlmironin 43 minutesminutes
- TengordonI made a reservation in 90 minutes.Replacementcraftin 90+9'minutes
substitute
- 3Dummett
- 11Richie
- 17craft
- 18carius
- 20hole
- twenty oneLibrament
- twenty fourAlmiron
- 40White
- 90Harness
live text
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Game over, Aston Villa 1, Newcastle United 3.
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End of the second half, Aston Villa 1, Newcastle United 3.
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Attempt failed. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) takes a left-footed shot from outside the box that goes wide of the left corner. Supported by Leon Bailey.
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Substitute player for Newcastle United. Emil Craft replaces Anthony Gordon.
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Foul by Nicolo Zaniolo (Aston Villa).
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Tino Libramento (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in defence.
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Corner of Aston Villa. Tino Libramento conceded a goal.
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Offside, Newcastle United. Anthony Gordon was caught offside.
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Nicolo Zaniolo (Aston Villa) was shown a yellow card for a serious foul.
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Foul by Nicolo Zaniolo (Aston Villa).
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Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in defence.
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Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) was shown a yellow card for a serious foul.
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Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in defence.
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Foul by Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United).
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Attempt failed. Clement Lenglet (Aston Villa) took a header from close range, but it went wide to the left of the target. Leon Bailey assists a cross from a corner kick.
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Corner of Aston Villa. Dan Byrne gave up a goal.
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Attempt saved. John McGinn (Aston Villa) took a left-footed shot from outside the box that was saved into the bottom right corner. Supported by Ezri Konsa.
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Attempt saved. Sean Longstaff (Newcastle United) took a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it was saved in the center of the goal. Supported by Bruno Guimarães.
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I'm late. They are ready to continue.
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Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United) was late to the game due to injury.