On the back of his claims that they should not really be good enough for the top five, his players wore the look of title contenders. From back to front - Emiliano Martinez to Watkins - Villa played with a swagger. This was a game in which Newcastle could have done with the latter pair, in order to get around the former. Moments earlier, Newcastle needed Nick Pope to deny Watkins after a Malick Thiaw error allowed the striker a run on goal. Villa were the better side and Watkins got his goal when peeling away unmarked to turn in from Lucas Digne’s cross.

Source: Metro January 25, 2026 20:36 UTC