Aston Villa’s 17-match unbeaten home run in the Premier League came to an end courtesy of a 3-1 defeat against Newcastle United.
Fabian Schar’s quickfire brace just after the half-hour mark did the damage before the break, with Álex Moreno’s unfortunate own goal early in the second half adding a third for the visitors.
Ollie Watkins’ 50th Premier League goal for the club gave Villa hope of a fightback, with the striker seeing another effort ruled out for offside moments later.
But Unai Emery’s side suffered their first league defeat at Villa Park for almost a year and only their second reverse in 16 matches in all competitions.
The Villans went into encounter on the back of three successive clean sheets and unbeaten in the last seven home meetings between the two clubs stretching back to 2013.
But it was not to be as the Magpies claimed the spoils, with Villa now looking to get back to winning ways at Sheffield United on Saturday
Emery kept faith with the same starting XI who battled to a goalless draw at Chelsea in the FA Cup last Friday, with Jacob Ramsey deemed fit to feature among the substitutes having missed the last two matches due to injury.
Both sides played their part in a high-energy opening quarter, Emi Martínez using his legs to deny Anthony Gordon with the first clear-cut chance after 20 minutes.
Matty Cash tested Martin Dubravka at the other end, before Clément Lenglet was called upon to make a superb last-ditch challenge to block Sean Longstaff after Martínez had parried Jacob Murphy’s effort.
And it was the Magpies who opened the scoring in the 32nd minute as Schar applied a finish to Kieran Trippier’s corner from six yards.
The United centre-back bagged his second just minutes later as another Trippier corner was cleared as far as Gordon, whose volley was deflected on to the crossbar by Lenglet and Schar was first to follow up.
Villa captain John McGinn came close to heading the hosts back into it with the last action of the first half yet it was Newcastle who were in control at the break.
And the Magpies added a third just seven minutes into the second half as Murphy latched on to substitute Miguel Almiron’s low cross to the back post and his effort was diverted into the net by a sliding Moreno.
Moussa Diaby, having been sent clear by Watkins, saw an effort cleared off the line after rounding Dubravka.
Boss Emery turned to Ramsey, Nicolò Zaniolo and Leon Bailey just after the hour and it sparked a revival.
Moments after Cash had seen his strike well saved by Dubravka, Bailey claimed an assist as his low cross was converted by Watkins, who became only the second Villa player to register 50 Premier League goals after Dwight Yorke and Gabby Agbonlahor.
The Villans, buoyed by a resurgent home faithful, thought they had got an immediate second but Watkins’ neat finish was ruled out for offside.
Martínez thwarted Longstaff as the clash entered the final stages and, despite pushing until the end, Villa were left to taste a first home league defeat since last February.
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