Aston Villa Thrashed by Newcastle United in Premier League Opener
Newcastle Dominate from Start to Finish
Highlights: Newcastle 5, Aston Villa 1
Newcastle United made a statement on the opening day of the Premier League season, dismantling Aston Villa 5-1 at St. James' Park. The Magpies were in control from the outset, with Alexander Isak making his mark on his debut. The Swedish forward scored a brace, opening the scoring with a coolly taken finish in the 10th minute and doubling the advantage with a clinical strike in the 25th. Aston Villa struggled to find their footing in the match, and their woes deepened when Ezri Konsa was sent off for a reckless challenge on Isak just before halftime. Newcastle took full advantage of their numerical superiority in the second half. Callum Wilson extended the lead in the 55th minute, before Joelinton added another in the 65th. Bruno Guimaraes completed the rout in the 75th minute. Ollie Watkins pulled one back for Villa in the dying minutes, but it was a mere consolation on a disappointing evening for the visitors.The victory is a huge statement of intent from Newcastle, who are looking to improve on their 11th-place finish last season. For Aston Villa, it is a disappointing start, and they will need to regroup quickly ahead of their next match against Bournemouth.
Match highlights are available on YouTube and the BBC Sport website.
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