Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has firmly played down any premature title speculation following his side's impressive 2-0 Premier League victory away at Newcastle United on Sunday. The win, secured through goals from Emi Buendia and Ollie Watkins, propelled Villa into third place, level on points with reigning champions Manchester City.
Emery Urges Calm Amid Rising Expectations
Despite the significant result at St James' Park, Emery was quick to temper growing excitement among supporters and pundits. The Spanish tactician insisted that Aston Villa should only be considered genuine title contenders if they remain in the mix with just three games remaining in the season.
"Next week we are playing against Brentford at home," Emery stated. "Last week we lost and last week, no-one asked me about contenders for the title. We lost against Everton, 'No, not now'; and we are winning today, 'Yes now'. Okay, calm. Keep balance is the only objective I have in my mind."
Emery emphasised that consistent daily work and sustained performance were his primary focus, suggesting that only by matchday 35 could conversations about Villa's title credentials be taken seriously.
Villa's Commanding Performance at St James' Park
The victory marked Aston Villa's first win at Newcastle's home ground since April 2005, ending a lengthy drought in impressive fashion. Villa demonstrated both defensive resilience and attacking flair throughout the encounter.
Emi Buendia opened the scoring with a spectacular dipping strike that left Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope with no chance, capitalising on space afforded by the retreating Magpies defence. Ollie Watkins then sealed the points with a late goal, ensuring Villa claimed all three points despite Newcastle's second-half pressure.
Aston Villa's away form has been particularly noteworthy this season, with six wins and three draws from their twelve league matches on the road.
Howe's Newcastle Left Frustrated
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe expressed mixed feelings about his team's performance, acknowledging positive aspects but ultimately lamenting the defeat. The Magpies struggled in the absence of key players, particularly skipper Bruno Guimaraes who missed the match with an ankle injury.
"I'm mixed on our performance because I thought it was okay," Howe admitted. "There was a lot of good bits in there, some good individual performances, but ultimately we've lost the game 2-0 at home."
Howe now faces an anxious wait regarding the fitness of both Guimaraes and Joelinton, who limped off with a groin problem, ahead of Wednesday night's crucial Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
Injury Concerns for Villa
Despite the celebratory mood following the victory, Emery revealed concerning news about midfielder John McGinn, who could face up to two months on the sidelines with a knee injury. This setback comes as Villa prepare for their Europa League clash with RB Salzburg on Thursday night.
Emery reflected on the significance of the Newcastle victory, particularly following last weekend's disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Everton. "A long time, we were not winning and my experience with Aston Villa here last year was horrible," he confessed. "We are so, so happy, so proud of the work we did because after we lost against Everton, we needed to react like we did on Thursday."
The Villa manager highlighted the importance of their midweek victory against Fenerbahce as crucial preparation for their Premier League success at Newcastle.
