A Kieran Trippier free-kick midway through the first-half was enough to send Aston Villa back to the West Midlands with defeat on Sunday afternoon.
Ollie Watkins had a goal disallowed for offside on the hour mark but a point would have been the most Steven Gerrard’s men deserved after a dismal display on Tyneside.
The claret & blue stay stuck in the bottom half of the Premier League on 27 points, Newcastle pull further clear of the bottom three on 21.
Here’s our Aston Villa player ratings from the contest.
Newcastle United (4-3-3): Dubravka; Trippier (48’ Krafth), Schar, Burn, Manquillo (45’ Dummett); Willock (90’ Guimaraes), Shelvey, Joelinton; Fraser, Wood, Saint-Maximin
Subs not used: Darlow, Longstaff, Almiron, Gayle, Murphy, De Bolle
Aston Villa (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash, Mings, Chambers, Digne; McGinn (85’ Chukwuemeka), Luiz, Ramsey; Buendia (72’ Bailey), Watkins (72’ Ings), Coutinho
Subs not used: Olsen, Iroegbunam, Hause, Young, Sanson, Chrisene
1. Emi Martinez - 5
Couldn’t do anything about the goal due to a big deflection but had a couple of hairy moments including the rush of blood to the head which saw him unnecessarily charge out of goal towards the end of the first-half.
2. Matty Cash - 5
Allan Saint-Maximin gave him a tough time down Villa’s right hand side but he was better going forward today.
3. Tyrone Mings - 6
Didn’t do much wrong in fairness. Can’t do the defending and attacking.
4. Calum Chambers - 4
Didn’t cover himself with glory on his full debut. Gave away the penalty which luckily was overturned for a free-kick. However, it still resulted in providing the only goal of the game.