Aston Villa give Unai Emery answer he most wanted with Newcastle demolition (2025)

ASTON VILLA 4-1 NEWCASTLE UNITED: After suffering Champions League heartbreak in midweek, the Villans gave Unai Emery and his coaching staff what they wanted with a brutally brilliant display that the Magpies could't live with

Aston Villa have enjoyed a taste of success. And that has only whetted their appetite for more.

This week’s Champions League heartbreak served only to poke the claret and blue beast as they raised themselves off the canvas. To deliver four crushing blows in what was their best performance under their Iberian chief Unai Emery. And there have been a few.

The Magpies turned up at Villa Park on the back of five straight victories. The best form of the entire division. But they were swept aside by a claret and blue tide that washed over them time and again.

Never mind the four strikes that defeated Nick Pope - they also tested the woodwork three times as Emery’s call to arms was answered in emphatic style. No sooner had the final whistle blown against the French champions on Tuesday night than Villa’s boss was urging his team to draw a line under their exploits.

He needed that focus. There was no time to wallow in self-pity.

The Spaniard’s right-hand man, Damien Vidagany, took to social media before kick-off in an unashamed rallying cry. Using his Twitter account to highlight the importance the club was attaching to the game, he said: “We want - and we need - to qualify for the Champions League again.

"This is where we belong, and we won’t stop now. There is not one second to be self-proud. Everything is coming now. We want a trophy and we want to go to the Champions League again. Newcastle is the new PSG for us. It is like a Champions League semi-final.”

Emery backed it up in his programme notes, saying: “The energy coming to the team from the stands is like a nuclear plant - helping us to overcome many difficulties. Ultimately, we are not in the Champions League semi-finals. And we are angry.

“But today this anger is MOTIVATION to come back to this stage and try harder. We want to be at this level for a long time.”

Into this maelstrom of emotion wandered the Magpies, perhaps underestimating just how deeply home desire ran to ensure a top-five finish.

Boss Eddie Howe, hopefully on the road to recovery from a bout of pneumonia, would have read this script. He’s a canny operator, all right. Whether his replacement Jason Tindall instilled the necessary determination in a group of players who probably didn’t realise what they were walking into is another story.

He wore a Wham hoodie the last time the two teams met. It was a case of ‘Wham-bam’ as Villa ended rag-dolling Newcastle all around the Villa Park pitch.

Ollie Watkins was sensational. Youri Tielemans' magnificent performance and Villa’s desire — encapsulated in their second goal with Ian Maatsen running 50 yards to find a finish — were evident in everything they did.

Perhaps looking at the bigger picture, there was a bigger takeaway from the battering in Birmingham and that is this: The elite won’t like it. These two both have the fundamental ingredients to threaten the established order in English football. Potentially, for some time to come.

For far too long the cycle has been on a loop. The same cluster of teams has contested the top four. Then they use the financial power of the Champions League to consolidate their positions.

By and large, the diet hasn’t changed. It may do now.

Villa have been on a relentless upward charge since Emery wandered into a club struggling to impose itself once more on the Premier League. He has maintained the momentum.

Of course, Newcastle’s assault - their story - is only half-told. With that Carabao Cup triumph, they have thrown off the weight of history that has dragged them down for decades. Their focus has turned to domestic issues.

Again, with ambition now running through St James’s Park like black ’n’ white stripes that adorn their jerseys, better times lay ahead. But that’s for the days to come. This night belonged to Villa, Emery and his players.

What a way to bounce back from the bitter pill of Champions League quarter-final defeat, eh?

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.