Goals:

1-0: Hourihane (32, curled a brilliant finish round the wall after a cleverly taken free-kick with Grealish)

2-0: El Ghazi (35, allowed to arrive in the six-yard box to turn Hourihane’s free-kick beyond the keeper)

Booking: Fernandez (34, foul)

Referee: Lee Mason (Stockport) – Newcastle could have no complaints about the first half free-kick decisions that led to defeat. 7

Attendance: 41,821

Entertainment: 3/5

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Heaton 7; Guilbert 6, Konsa 6, Mings 6, Targett 7; Hourihane 9 (Lansbury 90), Douglas Luiz 6; El Ghazi 7, McGinn 7, GREALISH 9; Wesley 6. Subs (not used): Nakamba, Trezeguet, Nyland, Kodjia, Elmohamady, Hause.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (3-4-2-1):

7 DUBRAVKA: Made a few outstanding stops after denying Douglas Luiz from distance but beaten by two free-kicks curled into his area;

5 Clark: Shrugged off injury to stay in the side but unable to maintain the standards he had been setting before the international break

4 Fernandez: Went close to scoring in the first half but guilty of a few errors defensively, particularly when he conceded the free-kick for the second goal

4 Dummett: Was not as alert as he should have been for the second goal when Hourihane’s ball arrived in the area;

3 Yedlin: A needless shove in the back of Grealish proved costly before the first goal was scored

4 Shelvey: Given the runaround by a three-man midfield on his big outing as captain of Newcastle

5 Hayden: Found it just as hard as Shelvey in the middle because they were outnumbered but had a second half effort held by Heaton

5 Willems: Unable to get forward as much as he would like and given plenty to think about the other way too;

6 Saint-Maximim: The liveliest man on the pitch in a Newcastle shirt and he tried to get them going in the second half

4 Almiron: Once again displayed energy down the flank without causing enough damage to the home defence;

4 Joelinton: Linked as well as he could when the ball came his way but far too isolated in the first half

Subs

Carroll (for Dummett 63): One chest and volley went close. 5

Gayle (for Joelinton 72)

Atsu (for Almiron 79)

(not used): Darlow (gk), Krafth, M Longstaff, Schar.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jack Grealish – lit the game up with his creative flair and showed exactly what Newcastle need.