A setback for Newcastle. Undefeated in the Premier League since the start of the calendar year, the Magpies fell to Aston Villa this Sunday in their home of St James’ Park (0-2). Three days away from meeting Paris Saint-Germain at the conclusion of the regular phase of the Champions League, Eddie Howe’s men suffered the law of more realistic Villains, paying dearly for a missed start.
Unable to create danger for a long time, they conceded the first goal of the game following a clear strike from Emiliano Buendía, not attacked at the edge of the area (0-1, 19th).
Newcastle did not rotate
Deprived of his captain and playing master Bruno Guimarães, who left before half-time of the match won against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday evening due to pain in his right ankle, the current 9th in the Premier League did not succeed in imposing his usual pressing, feared by all the teams traveling to his place.
After a timid start, the locals regained control of operations after returning from the locker room, without managing to shake up the opposing team. Fighting with PSG for a place in the top 8 of the C1, directly qualifying for the round of 16, Newcastle managed neither its efforts nor its squad this Sunday. Apart from the absence of Guimarães, all the usual starters were present at the kick-off of a match sealed by the second achievement of the Villains signed Ollie Watkins, author of a winning helmet strike when receiving a cross from Lucas Digne (0-2, 88th).
