Newcastle United 5-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa opened their 2023/24 Premier League campaign with a 5-1 defeat at Newcastle United.

Summer signing Moussa Diaby registered his first goal for the club, converting a well-taken finish to draw the visitors level in the 11^th minute after Sandro Tonali’s early opener.

But Alexander Isak restored the Magpies’ advantage shortly afterwards to cap a breathless and frenetic start to the encounter.

The Villans suffered a further blow just after the half hour as Tyrone Mings was stretched off due to injury.

The competitive clash remained finely poised at the break, however a second from Isak just before the hour mark, capitalising on a defensive error, established a two-goal advantage for the hosts.

Callum Wilson then added a fourth late on before fellow United substitute Harvey Barnes made it five in injury time, ensuring Villa’s miserable 16-match winless record at St. James’ Park continued, stretching back to 2005.

Unai Emery’s side will now be looking to pick up their first points of the season at home to Everton next Sunday.

Diaby was handed his competitive debut for Villa, with fellow new arrivals Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans both starting among the substitutes.

Villa wore t-shirts displaying ‘Fuerza Emi’ ahead of kick-off, in tribute to Emi Buendía following his knee ligament injury.

The hosts, buoyed by a red-hot atmosphere, started on the front foot and were ahead inside six minutes.

Emi Martínez parried a long-range strike from Bruno Guimaraes, the ball was recycled out to the left wing and Anthony Gordon crossed for Tonali to slam in from close range.

But Diaby drew Villa level just five minutes later as Watkins flicked on Lucas Digne’s cross and the France international was there to volley home from 12 yards.

Yet a pulsating start to proceedings saw United back in front a mere five minutes after Villa drew level, Isak converting Sven Botman’s ball across goal, with VAR ruling the Dutchman to be onside.

Ollie Watkins spurned a good chance to level midway through the first half after Villa caught the hosts on the counter-attack using Diaby’s pace.

The Villans suffered a setback just after the half hour as Mings was stretched off in obvious pain, replaced by Torres for his bow.

An unmarked Douglas Luiz couldn’t quite fully connect with a header from Digne’s corner, while Diaby hit the side-netting as Villa narrowly trailed at the interval.

Tielemans was introduced for his league debut at half-time with the game still finely balanced, Miguel Almiron fizzing a ball across the face of goal shortly after the restart.

But Newcastle carved out a two-goal lead just before the hour mark, Isak taking advantage of a mistake at the back to lift the ball over Martínez.

The Villa ‘keeper then denied Isak a hat-trick soon afterwards as he found himself clean through.

Diego Carlos came on in the 64^th minute and Villa missed a golden opportunity to get back into the game moments later as Matty Cash fired over after Nike Pope could only parry Watkins’ fierce strike.

But United added a fourth 13 minutes from time as Wilson slotted in from Barnes’ pass.

Martínez denied Wilson a fifth for Newcastle with a superb save from point-blank range, before Joelinton’s header was cleared off the line.

But Barnes did make it five for the hosts in added time as Villa suffered a frustrating evening in the north east.