Aston Villa and Newcastle United met at Villa Park as the Premier League returned after a two-week break.
The Magpies were looking to build on their victory over Fulham in their last game while Paul Lambert's side were hoping to get back on track following back-to-back defeats.
Newcastle showed their predatory instincts on the counterattack as they secured their second successive win of the season as goals from Hatem Ben Arfa and Yoan Gouffran decided the game.
See how all the events unfolded in our commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Newcastle United at Villa Park.
The international break is well and truly over and we're back into the swing of things in the Premier League with a crucial game for both sides.
Villa had the perfect start to the season when they beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in their opener, however, defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool soon followed. If you were a Villa supporter, three points from those fixtures would be deemed a success especially given their struggles last season.
Newcastle earned a crucial win over Fulham in their last outing which eased the pressure on boss Alan Pardew. There's still frustration amongst supporter about the lack of signings this summer, so the cycle may begin again for Pardew with anything but a positive result today.
The teams have just been released and we'll start with the home side.
ASTON VILLA XI: Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar, Okore, Luna, El Ahmadi, Westwood, Agbonlahor, Delph, Benteke, Weimann.
NEWCASTLE XI: Krul, Debuchy, Coloccini, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon, Anita, Sissoko, Cabaye, Remy, Cisse, Ben Arfa.
Paul Lambert makes only one change from his side that lost to Liverpool, as Leandro Bacuna makes way for Karim El-Ahmadi. Villa look to be lining up with a 4-3-3 system, as Christian Benteke, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann lead the line, with the Belgian playing down the middle. Fabian Delph, Ashley Westwood and El-Ahmadi will occupy the three central midfield spots in front of a flat back four.
Pardew makes two changes to his team that beat Fulham and they are notable ones. Wantaway midfielder Yohan Cabaye starts in central midfield, while their only summer signing Loic Remy starts up front alongside Papiss Cisse, in a 4-4-2 system.
VILLA SUBS: Steer, Clark, Sylla, Tonev, Bacuna, Helenius, Kozak.
NEWCASTLE SUBS: Elliot, Dummett, Taylor, Cheick Tiote, Marveaux, Ameobi, Gouffran.
There's a place on the Villa bench for deadline day signing Libor Kozak after he joined the club from Lazio. He will hope to play some part this afternoon against the Magpies.
Steven Taylor returns on the bench for the Magpies for the first time since his sending off against Manchester City in their season opener, and Cheick Tiote also features amongst substitutes.
The last time these two sides met, was in February this year, when Newcastle recorded a victory at Villa Park, thanks to goals from Cisse and Cabaye.
Bad news for Villa fans, as Lambert's side have conceded at least one goal in their last 12 Premier League games at Villa Park. Omens look decent for the Magpies, this afternoon.
The last four of Newcastle's wins in the top flight have come by a single goal. The majority of those goals have been scored by Cisse, apart two weeks ago when Hatem Ben Arfa found the net with a screamer. Pardew will be hoping for another one of those today.
The teams are making their way out onto the field and we should be underway shortly.
We are underway at Villa Park.
Sloppy start to the game, as both sides hand possession back to each other. First, Cabaye passes the ball straight to Vlaar who finds Lowton. The full-back blasts the ball straight down field looking for Benteke but Coloccini is there to collect.
Anita is making himself known in the early stages of this game as he dispossess Agbonlahor with a good tackle as the striker advanced into the Magpies half, and seconds later he does well to cut off a pass from Okore to Westwood.
Agbonlahor raids down the left and troubles the Newcastle defence. He looks to break into the area but Debuchy does well to knock the ball out for a corner.
Remy almost finds his way through the Villa defence, he gets tackled by Okore and there are claims for a penalty but the referee waves play on.
Cisse tries a shot on the turn at goal but his effort goes wide of the post following a failed clearance from a corner from the Villans. The Magpies have started well here.
Villa have quelled the early threat from the Magpies and are starting to get into the game.
Good defending by Coloccini stops a Villa attack in its tracks as Agbonlahor looked to find space down the right but the centre-back got across and made the tackle.
GOAL!! Aston Villa 0-1 Newcastle (Ben Arfa)
Newcastle take the lead as Ben Arfa converts from inside the six-yard box after Remy had done well down the left to beat Lowton and fire a low cross into the area, which deflected off Cisse into the path of the Frenchman.
Aston Villa look a bit shell shocked after that goal but they need to get going in this game, as they've been second best from the off.
Villa are struggling to get anything going in attack. They've had a couple of corner but the delivery from the right has been poor and Coloccini so far has been excellent for the Magpies.
Remy is giving the Villa defence a really tough time with his pace, this time he chases a ball over the top from Cabaye into the box and Okore does well to force him away and win the ball for Guzan to claim.
It's all pedestrian in attack from Lambert's side so far, they're seeing plenty of the ball but they're getting no penetration in attack. Newcastle are taking advantage of this on the counter.
Okore is down for Villa, it looks as though he hurt himself in the clash with Remy a couple of minutes ago. He looks to going off.
SUBSTITUTION: Okore is replaced by Ciaran Clark, in a straight swap.
Villa are starting to get frustrated with their lack of success going forward as Delph goes into a challenge with Ben Arfa and gets nowhere near the ball and is booked as a result.
Half a chance for Cabaye as Ben Arfa raids down the right and lifts a cross in for Cisse, Villa clear the ball only as far as the Frenchman who shoots first time on his left foot but blasts his effort over.
Newcastle are very dangerous on the counter as another Villa attack breaks down. A clearance from Yanga-Mbiwa goes straight to Remy, who has a two on two situation, he drives at Clark and sizes up an effort at goal, which goes just over the bar.
CHANCE! Lowton whips a dangerous ball into the box, which Krul fails to clear, the ball lands at the back post for Weimann to turn into the net but he can only hit the side netting. That was a real opportunity for Villa.
Another frustrating one for Villa as Westwood advances down the left, Weimann raises his hand looking for a cross in the middle but the midfielder's lofted pass lands straight in the hands of Krul.
There will be three minutes of added time.
Benteke drives to the dead-ball line and looks to beat Yanga-Mbiwa but the defender does extremely well and wins a corner off the Belgium international. The Magpies have been brilliant at the back so far.
Newcastle fail to make Villa pay for conceding a cheap free kick as deliveries from Ben Arfa and Debuchy fail to trouble the Villa defence and they clear their lines.
CHANCE! Ben Arfa is inches away from doubling his side's lead as he collects Sissoko's ball on the right and cuts inside before drilling a low volley at goal, which beats Guzan but goes the wrong side of the post. So close!
HALF TIME: Aston Villa 0-1 Newcastle United
Newcastle lead at the break and it's fully deserved as they have had by far the better chance at Villa Park. Indeed it could have been two-nil if Hatem Ben Arfa's late chance had gone the right side of the post, for what would have been his second goal.
Villa have been extremely poor going forward, they've offered very little against a stubborn Newcastle backline. Christian Benteke has been anonymous, which will delight Alan Pardew. Villa need better production from their midfield trio of Ashley Westwood, Fabian Delph and Karimi El-Ahmadi, to get back into this one.
Lambert will need to do something about stopping Remy and Ben Arfa on the counter as that is where Newcastle have had all their success in the first half.
The players are back out at Villa Park and we should be underway shortly.
Villa get us back underway.
Villa start strongly in the second half as Benteke bounds downfield, he knocks the ball back to Lowton, but Remy gets at him and the defender concedes a foul halting the attack.
Better football from the hosts as Luna whips a cross field pass for Lowton, who links up with Weimann to force a corner. However, El Ahmadi's delivery from the corner is poor and sails over the head of every Villa player in the area.
CHANCE! Luna gets the ball inside the box as he raids forward but he chooses to lash his effort across the face of goal rather than shoot himself. What a chance to get back in the game that was.
Agbonlahor raids forward and beats two men as he gets to the edge of the area, however, he tries to beat Yanga-Mbiwa but the defender does well to edge him out of possession and pushes upfield himself.
CHANCE! Villa should be level as Agbonlahor misses an absolute sitter from six yards out as Weimann put the ball on plate for him at the back post after getting behind the Newcastle defence, but the striker could only guide his left-footed effort wide of the post.
It's Newcastle's turn to look rattled now. They can't get a foot on the ball at the minute, how times have changed since the first half.
CHANCE! Take that back, Guzan has just kept his side in the game with a brilliant save to deny Ben Arfa. It was another Newcastle counterattack and the Frenchman got the ball out on the right and he twisted and turned his man before rifling a left-footed effort at goal but the keeper turned it away.
SUBTITUTION: Remy leaves the field for Newcastle and is replaced by Gouffran.
CHANCE! Another great chance for Newcastle but they can't double their lead as, Ben Arfa creates havoc down the right and crosses, Cabaye picks the ball up at the back post and lays it for Cisse who shoots, but Vlaar blocks his effort and Luna gets a foot in before Ben Arfa can strike on the edge of the area.
GOAL!!! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle (Benteke)
Villa get an equaliser as Benteke heads Westwood's corner into the net as Krul came a mile out of his goal to collect the ball but didn't get there, allowing the Belgian to net an easy goal.
A major blow for Newcastle as they came so close to doubling their lead just minutes ago. Now Lambert's side will be in the ascendency for the final 20 minutes of the game.
GOAL!!! Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle (Gouffran)
Newcastle regain the lead as Gouffran taps home from close range after Guzan could only parry Ben Arfa's shot out to him and he made no mistake. Ben Arfa caused havoc again there for the Magpies as the Villa defence afforded him too much time and space.
Villa now have to rally themselves yet again. They have to compose themselves and try and play like they were 15 minutes ago.
CHANCE! Cisse should do better to add a third for the Magpies but he can only head his effort wide of the post after Gouffran had done well to pick him out at the back post, with a cross from the right.
Villa look out of ideas as Delph is forced to try an audacious effort from 30 yards out, which goes comfortably wide of the post.
It's getting a bit desperate from the Villans now as Guzan and the back four are pumping long balls forward into the box. Benteke's good in the air but Coloccini gets the better of him and clears the danger.
Newcastle hit Villa on the break and Ben Arfa twists Clark one way then the other, he raids into the box and the defender appears to shove him down but the referee doesn't award a penalty much to his disbelief.
The Magpies are doing well to take the pace out of the game by retaining possession, Villa look in trouble every time Ben Arfa gets the ball, they just can't get it off him.
Agbonlahor receives the ball just outside the box and tries to thread a pass through to the Benteke but Yanga-Mbiwa is there to make a good interception to stop the Belgian getting the ball.
The ball gets launched forward to Benteke and he tries to bring it down but Coloccini is there this time to take it away from him. The Belgian looks a frustrated figure on the pitch, he hasn't had the service today.
Four minutes of added time have been given.
Newcastle do well to kill time as Gouffran gets the ball in the corner and waits for support, Ben Arfa comes to his aid and wastes another 30 seconds before he gives away a free kick.
Guzan pumps the ball long from the free kick but Newcastle manage to clear the danger with ease like they have done all afternoon. The delivery just hasn't been there from Villa.
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle
Newcastle take a deserved win away from Villa Park. They were the far better side throughout the game and scored two good goals on the counterattack. Hatem Ben Arfa was an unstoppable force throughout the game, which the Villans had no answer for.
Villa just weren't at the races at all today. Their play going forward was very poor, as Benteke lacked service all afternoon. When they did get an opportunity Agbonlahor fluffed his chance from yards out. Even Benteke's goal came from an uncharacteristic mistake from Tim Krul. Lambert will not be pleased.
That's back-to-back wins in the Premier League for Newcastle and all the pressure that was building up on Alan Pardew has been lifted. Defensively the Magpies were solid all afternoon and if you have a player like Ben Arfa in your team, you're always going to be deadly on the counter. The Magpies played to their strengths and fully deserve the three points.
Thanks for joining the live commentary of today's clash. We'll be back with the Premier League next week. Until then, goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
