Newcastle United 3-0 Aston Villa: Hosts run riot after Duran red card

Newcastle United thrashed 10-man Aston Villa 3-0 in a feisty Boxing Day encounter at St James’ Park, with Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Joelinton scoring.

Gordon netted with a stunning effort just 80 seconds in, curling into the top-right corner after being fed by Joelinton, who would later join Isak on the scoresheet in the second half.

Villa played the majority of the match with 10 men after Jhon Duran was sent off for violent conduct midway through the first half, having aimed a needless kick at Fabian Schar.

Newcastle assistant Jason Tindall was also shown a red card as tensions boiled over at half-time, but the Magpies kept their cool on the pitch, going 2-0 up when Isak tapped Jacob Murphy’s cross home in the 59th minute.

Joelinton, Isak and Bruno Guimaraes all saw goals currently disallowed, but the hosts added a third in the first minute of stoppage time, Joelinton curling home from the left side of the box.

A third straight win sees Eddie Howe’s team move fifth in the Premier League with 29 points, as Villa slip to ninth.

Data Debrief: Unwanted card for Duran, Christmas cheer for Newcastle

Unai Emery has shown great faith in Duran lately, with Ollie Watkins left out of Villa’s lineup for the fourth straight league game on Thursday – the first time that has occurred since his 2020 arrival.

The Colombian has typically repaid that confidence, but his loss of composure proved costly on Tyneside. At the age of 21 years and 13 days, he is the youngest player to be sent off in a Premier League game on Boxing Day since Wayne Rooney for Everton against Birmingham City in 2002 (17 years, 63 days).

Villa always faced an uphill task with a numerical disadvantage, and Newcastle have now won three straight Premier League matches by three or more goals for the very first time.

Isak was among their star performers again, becoming just the sixth Newcastle player to score in five straight Premier League matches, after Alan Shearer (three times), Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Papiss Cisse and Joe Willock.