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Aston Villa beat Newcastle United 4-1 at home. This win boosts their chances of qualifying for the Champions League. They have now sent a strong message to their top-five Premier League rivals.
WHAT HAPPENED IN VILLA PARK?
Villa Park was lively as Aston Villa took the lead in the first minute. Ollie Watkins scored his 15th Premier League goal of the season after not playing in midweek. Newcastle equalized before halftime with a goal from Fabian Schar, but Villa dominated the second half. Ian Maatsen restored Villa’s lead, followed by an own goal from Dan Burn, which put them further ahead. Substitute Amadou Onana scored an amazing goal to seal the victory. It was a memorable day for the home fans and manager Unai Emery just five days after their Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain.
THE RACE FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOTS
With this result, Aston Villa moved above Chelsea to sixth place in the table, with 57 points from 33 games. They are level with Nottingham Forest, who still have a game to play. Newcastle remain third with 59 points, just one point ahead of fourth-placed Manchester City, who had a late win over Everton. The race for the top five places, which guarantee Champions League qualification next season, is very tight. Villa’s dominating home win not only boosts their confidence but could be important in the last weeks of the season after being recently eliminated from European competition.
WHAT COMES NEXT FOR VILLA AND NEWCASTLE?
Aston Villa’s next challenge is an away game against Sheffield United, who are fighting to avoid relegation at the bottom of the table. Villa are now three points clear of Chelsea and aim to secure a crucial top-five finish as the end of the season approaches. Newcastle will play against Fulham, needing to recover from this heavy defeat to keep their hold on third place, with Manchester City and Villa close behind. With just five games remaining, every point will be crucial as the battle for Champions League football heats up.
