Villa continues magical run with 3-0 victory over Newcastle

BIRMINGHAM: An early strike from Jacob Ramsey and two second-half goals from Ollie Watkins earned Aston Villa a 3-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, moving Unai Emery’s rejuvenated team to within six points of the top-four.

After an excellent cross by John McGinn, Ramsey ran on to Watkins’s cushioned header and gave Villa the lead with an emphatic side-footed finish in the 11th minute.

Watkins scored Villa’s second goal in the 64th minute with a sharp strike on the turn from point-blank range. Seven minutes from time, the Englishman netted his 11th goal in his last 12 matches with a simple finish at the back post.

“I think we are on a great run at the moment and playing good football,” Watkins said. “There is real togetherness in the team and we are looking forward to games to come.” Villa is sixth on 50 points, three points behind the fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and six adrift of Manchester United in fourth and Newcastle in third.

Villa came within a whisker of opening the scoring with less than 30 seconds on the clock when Watkins hit the post after being played in by Ramsey. Newcastle responded via Alexander Isak, who drew a sharp save from Emiliano Martinez, but that was as good as it got for Eddie Howe’s men in the first half.

Emery set Villa up in a 4-4-2 formation, with creative force Emiliano Buendia partnering Watkins up front, and the ploy worked perfectly. Ramsey hit the post for Villa in the 15th minute when he ran on to Alex Moreno’s cut back. Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope had to be quick off his line to head clear and deny the Villa midfielder late in the half.

The visitor’s best chance came just before the hour-mark when Isak drew an acrobatic one-handed save from Emiliano Martinez while Watkins put the ball in the back of the net from Villa’s next attack only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. McGinn fired over from the edge of the box before Watkins collected Moreno’s low cross and spun to seal Villa’s fifth league win in a row.

Brighton beats Chelsea 2-1

Brighton & Hove Albion ruined Chelsea boss Frank Lampard’s return to Stamford Bridge with a 2-1 comeback win as substitutes Danny Welbeck and Julio Enciso condemned the ‘Blues’ to a third defeat in three matches under the interim coach.

Lampard, who rested several first-choice starters ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid in London, saw Chelsea score the first goal of his second spell in charge when Conor Gallagher’s heavily deflected shot beat Robert Sanchez in the 13th minute.

The visitor, coached by Roberto De Zerbi, was the better side for long spells of the match and drew level when Welbeck squeezed between two defenders to head in off the post in the 42nd minute. The ‘Seagulls’ got the second goal that it deserved when Enciso scored with an unstoppable shot from 25 yards in the 69th minute.

RESULTS: Aston Villa 3 (J Ramsey 11, O Watkins 64 & 83) bt Newcastle United 0; Chelsea 1 (C Gallagher 13) lost to Brighton & Hove Albion 2 (D Welbeck 42, J Enciso 69)