The real drama between Newcastle United and Aston Villa began just as the first half ended. Following a tense opening 45 minutes, which saw Jhon Duran receive a red card and Aston Villa manager Unai Emery confront Jason Tindall, tensions boiled over as the teams made their way through the narrow tunnel at St James' Park.
The incident resulted in Tindall, Newcastle's assistant, and Victor Manas, Aston Villa's analyst, being sent off and not returning for the second half. When questioned about the incident after his team's 3-0 loss, Emery simply stated: "Nothing more."
According to an eyewitness, the altercation involved around 20 people, with numerous players and staff from both teams trying to intervene.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was at the front of the group and didn't witness the scuffle, but emphasized the importance of standing up for what's right and protecting one another. "If you're going to send him [Tindall] off, you could probably send 10 to 15 people off," he added.
Newcastle demonstrated their resilience not only in the tunnel but also on the field. When Duran stamped on Fabian Schar, prompting his red card and sparking a heated contest after the half-hour mark, Martin Dubravka swiftly pushed the Colombian forward. Joelinton and Dan Burn also confronted Duran, with Burn pointing a finger in his direction.
Newcastle's unity and relentless drive, key to their impressive fourth-place finish in 2023, have made a comeback. The Magpies soared past Aston Villa and reigning champions Manchester City in the Premier League standings, settling into fifth after stellar performances from Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak, and Joelinton.
From a mid-table position just weeks prior, Howe's choice to support, rather than chastise his squad following a disappointing 4-2 loss at Brentford, has paid dividends. Subtle adjustments have ignited newfound confidence within the team who have since emulated their dogged determination through a streak of four consecutive triumphs across all competitions.
The statistics speak volumes; Newcastle have notched up 11 goals and maintained three clean sheets in their last three league games. This solid foundation has them trailing just five points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest as the season's midpoint approaches.
Such a drastic improvement mirrors the significant metamorphosis within the club. Only a month ago, Anthony Gordon lamented Newcastle were the 'nearly men'.
Yet, this Boxing Day, the England winger confidently proclaimed, "We're not nearly men anymore."
In a recent interview with NUFC TV, Gordon emphasised the importance of Newcastle maintaining their momentum, stating 'this game doesn't matter anymore' - a clear sign that noone at the club is getting complacent. It was telling that manager Howe immediately reviewed the 3-0 victory to identify areas for improvement ahead of Monday night's clash at Old Trafford.
This could spell trouble for Manchester United, who are reeling from consecutive losses against Wolves and Bournemouth. Newcastle's quick-fire scoring ability was on full display against Aston Villa, with the first goal coming just 75 seconds into the match.
The goal was set up by Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, who sent Joelinton charging forward. He then found Anthony Gordon, whose powerful shot sent St James' Park into a frenzy.
Despite a resurgence from Aston Villa, they only managed a single shot on target throughout the entire match - a free-kick from Lucas Digne that was deflected by Martin Dubravka. Matty Cash's subsequent attempt sailed over the bar.
Aston Villa's chances of scoring were slim with a full team, let alone with just 10 players.
The match saw a dramatic turn of events at the 32-minute mark when Amadou Onana sent Jhon Duran and Fabian Schar into a footrace. Schar managed to reach the ball first, clearing it with a well-timed sliding tackle, only for Duran to stamp on the Newcastle defender as he fell.
Referee Anthony Taylor promptly showed him a red card. Aston Villa were left reeling, and just before half-time, Bruno Guimaraes shook off Youri Tielemans to square the ball to Tonali, whose shot was deflected wide by Martinez.
After the break, Newcastle continued their assault, doubling their lead after an hour when Bruno set up Jacob Murphy with a brilliant through ball, leading to a goal by Isak. The hosts weren't content with two goals, however.
They pressed for another, and at one point, Aston Villa were pinned in their own half. Martinez's pass went straight to Joelinton, and although Onana managed to block his shot, the ball fell to Murphy, who hit the crossbar.
Newcastle were on a roll. A smart reverse pass from Tonali set up Lewis Hall down the left flank late in the game, and his cross was redirected by substitute Harvey Barnes at the far post.
Ezri Konsa managed to clear it off the line, but the ball ricocheted off Bruno and into the goal. However, VAR stepped in and disallowed the goal due to a handball.
But Newcastle didn't let that stop them, scoring a third goal just before the final whistle. Onana made a weary pass straight to Joelinton, and Aston Villa's defenders seemed to invite the midfielder to take a shot.
Joelinton accepted the invitation - smashing the ball into the net for a 3-0 lead. By then, Aston Villa were down and out.
