Championship
NewcastleNewcastle United2Aston VillaAston Villa0

Newcastle United 2-0 Aston Villa

By Phil CartwrightBBC Sport
Yoan Gouffran scores for Newcastle
Yoan Gouffran's seventh goal of the season gave Newcastle a half-time lead

Newcastle United scored a goal in each half to beat Aston Villa and go a point clear at the top of the Championship.

Yoan Gouffran netted the opener from four yards and another goalmouth scramble resulted in Henri Lansbury turning the ball into his own net.

But Newcastle's victory was soured by the loss of top scorer Dwight Gayle, who limped off after 33 minutes.

Villa striker Scott Hogan was carried off on a stretcher late on and they are now winless in nine league matches.

Hogan, who cost £12m from Brentford in January, landed awkwardly after challenging for a header at a late Villa corner.

Gayle - the Championship's leading scorer with 20 league goals this season - appeared to suffer a recurrence of the hamstring problem which had kept him out for six matches.

Villa remain six points above the relegation zone, having collected only one point in 2017, although Steve Bruce's side had more than matched the Magpies until they fell behind.

Iceland midfielder Birkir Bjarnason went closest for the visitors, failing to hook in Hogan's flick-on from close range and later having a shot saved by Karl Darlow.

Newcastle's opening goal came soon after Gayle's departure, with Villa failing to properly clear a Matt Ritchie cross and French winger Gouffran tapping in.

After that, the hosts took control and often looked likely to extend their lead, although the second goal which took them above Brighton in the table came in fortunate circumstances.

Jamaal Lascelles met Jonjo Shelvey's corner and his effort hit Lansbury, who was stationed at the near post, before ricocheting into the net.

Dwight Gayle
Newcastle's Dwight Gayle was substituted after 33 minutes because of injury

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez told BBC Radio Newcastle: "This is a very difficult division. Every game is tough and we were playing against a good team with very good players.

"They pressed well at the beginning and it wasn't easy for us to play how we wanted. We needed to score to open up the game, and after the second goal it was more open. We had more chances and more control of the game.

"Dwight Gayle seemed like he wasn't comfortable from the beginning and then he said he was feeling something in his hamstring. We don't know how serious it is. We have to wait."

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce told BBC WM: "Scott's injury compounded the night, because we obviously fear the worst.

"He's definitely turned his ankle over and we don't know how serious it is until we see X-rays and scans. The consequences of losing him are huge, but let's hope it's not as bad as what we think.

"I thought we were decent in the first half, Newcastle hadn't been near our goal, and yet we gave a poor goal away. After the restart, we've given another one away and the second one was comical.

"And the two or three opportunities we've had, we've not taken them. That's where we are at the moment."

Line-ups

Newcastle

Formation 4-4-1-1

  • 26Darlow
  • 22Yedlin
  • 6LascellesBooked at 37mins
  • 2Clark
  • 3Dummett
  • 11Ritchie
  • 12ShelveyBooked at 34mins
  • 4Colback
  • 20GouffranSubstituted forAtsuat 89'minutes
  • 15Diamé
  • 9GayleSubstituted forMitrovicat 33'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Hanley
  • 7Lazaar
  • 17Pérez
  • 21Elliot
  • 27Gámez
  • 30Atsu
  • 45Mitrovic

Aston Villa

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 34Johnstone
  • 21Hutton
  • 12Chester
  • 6Elphick
  • 3Taylor
  • 25JedinakSubstituted forAdomahat 71'minutes
  • 20BjarnasonSubstituted forGardnerat 82'minutes
  • 5Lansbury
  • 14Hourihane
  • 26KodjiaSubstituted forBacunaat 83'minutes
  • 9HoganSubstituted forat 90'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Baker
  • 7Bacuna
  • 22Gardner
  • 23Amavi
  • 31Bunn
  • 37Adomah
  • 40Grealish
Referee:
Peter Bankes
Attendance:
50,024

Match Stats

Home TeamNewcastleAway TeamAston Villa
Possession
Home55%
Away45%
Shots
Home15
Away8
Shots on Target
Home6
Away1
Corners
Home6
Away4
Fouls
Home14
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Newcastle United 2, Aston Villa 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Newcastle United 2, Aston Villa 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Mohamed Diamé (Newcastle United).

  4. Post update

    Neil Taylor (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Jack Colback (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Post update

    Foul by Albert Adomah (Aston Villa).

  7. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Matt Ritchie.

  8. Post update

    Christian Atsu (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Alan Hutton (Aston Villa).

  10. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  11. Post update

    Scott Hogan went off injured after Aston Villa had used all subs.

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Newcastle United. Christian Atsu replaces Yoan Gouffran.

  13. Post update

    Delay in match Scott Hogan (Aston Villa) because of an injury.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Matt Ritchie.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Yoan Gouffran (Newcastle United).

  16. Post update

    Gary Gardner (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Aston Villa. Leandro Bacuna replaces Jonathan Kodjia.

  18. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Aston Villa. Gary Gardner replaces Birkir Bjarnason.

  20. Post update

    Delay in match Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa) because of an injury.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Newcastle32223762253769
2Brighton32208454262868
3Huddersfield3119484235761
4Reading3218684741660
5Leeds331841145341158
6Sheff Wed32177841301158
7Norwich331561258471151
8Fulham311310852371549
9Barnsley33147125147449
10Preston331310104440449
11Derby31138103629747
12Cardiff33136144547-245
13Ipswich331011123441-741
14Birmingham331010133448-1440
15Brentford31107144445-137
16QPR32107153445-1137
17Aston Villa32812123038-836
18Nottm Forest33106174658-1236
19Wolves3198143842-435
20Burton3297163346-1334
21Bristol City3195174246-432
22Wigan3279162938-930
23Blackburn3178163649-1329
24Rotherham3345243073-4317
View full Championship table

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