Aston Villa delivered a statement performance at home, cruising to a 4-1 win over Newcastle United in a dominant display of attacking control and precision. From the opening whistle, Villa were on the front foot and punished every defensive lapse with clinical finishing—racking up 22 shots, 4 goals, and a commanding 3.26 xG.

Meanwhile, Newcastle struggled to assert themselves, producing just 7 shots for a modest 0.53 xG, and were simply overwhelmed by Villa’s energy and incision.

? Match Momentum and xG Tells the Story

Villa flew out of the blocks, with Ollie Watkins opening the scoring in the 1st minute, setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon. The cumulative xG graph shows a steady climb for Villa throughout the match, particularly between the 30th and 75th minutes where they piled on sustained pressure.

Newcastle’s xG line barely moved after the 20th minute, reflecting their inability to build meaningful attacking phases. Their lone spike came from Schär’s goal in the 17th minute (xG: 0.11), but they never found rhythm afterward.

? Stat Sheet Highlights

xG: Aston Villa 3.26 – 0.53 Newcastle

Shots on target: Villa 9 – 3 Newcastle

Progressive runs: Even at 15-16, but Villa made theirs count in better territory

Touches in box: Villa 31 – 26 Newcastle

Fouls drawn: Villa 12 – 9 Newcastle (showing Villa’s press drew pressure and disrupted Newcastle’s rhythm)

? Shot Breakdown: Quality over Quantity for Villa

The shot maps underline the difference in finishing and shot locations:

Aston Villa: 22 shots, 9 on target, 4 goals. Three goals came from inside the six-yard box or central zone, and Villa created multiple high-quality chances including Maatsen’s and Onana’s strikes. Their average shot distance was just 15.2m, and they hit the post three times!

Newcastle United: Just 7 shots total, with only 3 on target. Their one goal came from distance and was their only notable chance (xG: 0.11). Most of their attempts came from the edge of the box or wide angles, and they never tested Villa’s keeper with sustained pressure.

? Possession and Passing: Newcastle Circulate, Villa Penetrate

The pass maps reveal contrasting possession styles:

Newcastle built up with width through Trippier, Burn, and Livramento, but their passes rarely broke Villa’s lines. There was plenty of sideways movement, but very little vertical progression into the box.

Villa, by contrast, created a web of short, effective connections around the center with Tielemans, Kamara, and McGinn pulling the strings. Their network pushed high, with Watkins and Rogers stretching the line, enabling more touches in dangerous areas.

Despite Newcastle edging the possession count 51% to 49%, it was Villa who spent more time in meaningful zones—26 touches in the opponent’s box compared to Newcastle’s 18.

? Final Whistle Take

This was a top-tier home performance from Aston Villa—relentless attacking movement, slick midfield rotation, and ruthless finishing. Newcastle, meanwhile, were flat after their early goal and offered little beyond sterile possession.

For Villa, it’s a big win in the race for Europe. For Newcastle, a reminder that control without penetration doesn’t win matches.