Johan Manzambi's header is enough: Aston Villa win 1-0 at St James' Park

Aston Villa left St James' Park with all three points, 1-0, on the back of a single moment: Johan Manzambi rising to meet João Gomes' cross in the 36th minute and heading past Newcastle's goalkeeper. It was the only goal of a Matchweek 7 game that Newcastle spent the second half chasing without ever really threatening to level.

Villa did not need to do much more than defend the lead. They went into the weekend on the back of a 6-0 win over Fenerbahçe in the Champions League in midweek, and while that scoreline was never close to being repeated here, the same control showed up in the moments that mattered — the one clear chance of the first half, taken.

Line-ups

• Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Lukáš Horníček; Sven Botman, Malick Thiaw, Lewis Hall; Lewis Miley, Joe Willock; Nico González, Joelinton, Yoane Wissa, Harvey Barnes; Matías Fernández-Pardo
• Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Zion Suzuki; Tyrone Mings, Victor Lindelöf, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Matty Cash; Johan Manzambi, João Gomes, Boubacar Kamara; Nicolas Jackson, Emiliano Buendía, Alysson

Match facts

• 36' — Johan Manzambi (Aston Villa), header, assist João Gomes
• Six yellow cards for Newcastle: Joelinton and Sven Botman (both 18'), Nico González (53'), Yoane Wissa (55'), William Osula (78'), Malick Thiaw (86')
• Two yellow cards for Aston Villa: João Gomes (25'), Alysson (28')

Six cards and no way through

Newcastle's frustration showed up on the card count rather than the scoreboard. Joelinton and Sven Botman were both booked inside the first 18 minutes, and three more yellows followed after half-time as the hosts pushed men forward without ever troubling Zion Suzuki's goal with anything clean. Fourteen fouls to Villa's eleven tells the same story: more effort than execution.

Matthias Jaissle's changes — Dan Burn, William Osula and Bazoumana Touré all introduced — came with purpose but not with a final ball to match. Villa, for their part, were content to let the game run down the clock with Ross Barkley, John McGinn and Leon Goretzka brought on to see out a lead that never looked seriously under threat once Manzambi's header had gone in.

What's next

The win lifts Aston Villa off the foot of the table they had occupied for parts of the season, though they travel to Manchester City on Saturday 24 October with barely a week to recover from facing a side in form. Newcastle, who sat 11th after Matchweek 6, go to Crystal Palace on Sunday 25 October looking to find the discipline that was missing here.