Probably the biggest game of the season so far for Villa, with a hard run of games upcoming, good performances were needed all round. The boys in Claret and Blue did not disappoint and could’ve won by more than just the two goals they had to settle for at full time. The performance was greatly helped by the returns of Grealish and Heaton from injury and Hourihane to the starting XI. The spark seemed to return to the attack, and the defence had greater confidence with Heaton behind them. These three points count for more than just moving Villa away from the relegation zone, they also give the players confidence to feel they can take something from Man United on Sunday. The three-game funk has ended, and it feels like a weight has been lifted.
Tom Heaton- 9
Heaton put in a pretty much flawless goalkeeping performance. He made several big saves when needed, most notably off Fernandez in the first half and then Saint-Maximin in the second. His playing out from the back was also more consistent than it has been previously, most likely because of the lack of press from Newcastle. He performs his job with no fuss and is one of the best shot stoppers in the Premier League.
Fred Guilbert- 7
A much better performance from Guilbert was highlighted by his ability to keep the dangerous looking Allan Saint-Maximin quiet for the majority of the game. His tackling was hard and fair, and his runs forward were as frequent and energetic as ever. At this point of the season, Guilbert looks like a bargain at £4.5million as he is generally solid at the back and adds an extra element down the right on the attack.
Ezri Konsa- 8
Many Villa fans were worried when the teams were announced and Bjorn Engels wasn’t in the squad. Konsa soon put those worries to bed as he was sturdy and composed alongside Tyrone Mings. He cut out several Newcastle attacks and marshalled both Joelinton and Andy Carroll with relative ease. On top of that, he also looked a threat from set pieces, managing to find himself free in the box from a corner, where he really should’ve scored. If he performs well against Man United on Sunday, Engels could find it very difficult to get back into the starting XI.
Tyrone Mings- 7
Despite some loose passes early on, Mings soon found his feet. The England international made the £40million Joelinton and £20million Almiron look like championship players, though they didn’t need much help. His passing ability and ease on the ball is key to everything that the Villans do, and most moves start with Mings playing the ball into the midfield or out to the full backs.
Matt Targett- 8
Targett is very useful going forward. He showed this on a number of occasions during this match. A ball fizzed across the face of goal early on set the scene for a good display from the young full back. Even though he clearly wasn’t 100%, with him lying on the floor throwing up after a throw in in the first half, Targett played like he was. Defensively he was consistent too, getting back to stop the Newcastle break a couple of times in the first half. Probably Targett’s best all-round performance of the season so far.
Douglas Luis- 6
Douglas had a reasonable game at the base of the midfield. He shows good technical attributes with his ability to spread the play after receiving the ball from the centre backs. He also always looks a threat from the edge of the box. However, he seems to still be adjusting to the pace of the English game, as several times he was caught on the ball, putting the defence under pressure. Once he is able to release the ball quicker, he’ll be a quality player, as he allows the likes of McGinn and Hourihane to venture further forward.
Conor Hourihane- 9
The Irishman showed his deadly touch from set pieces once again with a goal and an assist. This capped a performance in which he provided great creativity when floating out to the left to support Targett, when Grealish cut inside. He also performed his defensive duties admirably and 98% pass completion shows that he played very few loose passes. This was important as Newcastle looked to seize upon mistakes in the Villa midfield, and hit on the counter attack. Hourihane can perform at any level, it’s rare that a player can work their way from League 2 to the Premier League.
John McGinn- 8
Another busy performance from McGinn showed all of his qualities. His pace to get to the ball and ability to get the team moving forward helped greatly in the second half once Newcastle started to slightly up the ante. He was unlucky not to grab himself a goal late on with a couple of chances lacking a good finish, when Newcastle looked tired. Showings like this from McGinn have become standard, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive.
Jack Grealish- 9
The only way Grealish could’ve done any better is by scoring a goal. He was first in most of the statistics throughout the game, most notably in chances created, and there’s a feeling of excitement whenever he picks up the ball. Villa look a much more confident team when Grealish is on the pitch, as they know that he can conjure something out of nothing. His work rate and defensive play has also improved no end over the last year, he is essentially the complete package.
Anwar El Ghazi- 7
El Ghazi scored in what was a pretty decent outing for the 24-year-old. He clearly has bags and bags of ability. In the last couple of home games, he’s picked out players on the opposite wing exquisitely, and his finishing ability with the ball at his feet is very good. His downfall in this match was not getting his head up when dribbling and offloading the ball, which lead to a loss of possession on a few occasions. Otherwise this was a good showing from El Ghazi, and he looked dangerous and tracked back relatively well.
Wesley- 6
A better performance from Wesley saw the Brazilian throw his weight around with a little more purpose in the second half. The ball doesn’t seem to stick to him very easily meaning his hold up play is inconsistent, and he really should’ve scored to make it 3-0 with what was an easy chance. If Wesley performs more like this as a baseline, then he still adds something to the Villa attack, and he’ll pick up one or two goals.
Jon Parkin Sports 