Newcastle United 0 Aston Villa 1 – Saturday 17 October 2026 5.30pm
Newcastle United fan/writer reaction from some of our regular contributors on The Mag.
Nat Seaton:
‘Big sigh! Well we can’t put this one down to bad luck.
Only 2 new outfield players, summer signings, in the starting line-up so the idea that we can use that as an excuse is clutching at straws.
We are lacking confidence that’s for sure, but we are also lacking quality and asking an awful lot of Nico which isn’t helping in protecting our centre halves who are both not playing at their best.
Villa played quite well in the first half but I thought they were poor in the second but we didn’t have the ability to create enough to test them.
I’d say our poorest home performance so far this season, here’s to better things next weekend at Palace.’
Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…:
‘Very down after that display.
Can’t say much that is positive. Took me back to the pre takeover days.
If this new keeper is as good with his hands as he is with his feet, we might have gained a point.
Am I being melodramatic? Let me know…’
GToon:
‘That’s on the manager.
As tactically inept as I’ve seen for many a year. Bruce-like, if not worse.
We knew the lads would try second half but for me time’s up already on Jaissle. He’s way out of his depth. You could put a six lane motorway in the gap between our defence and midfield.
Nico is far too slow to cover the ground. Wissa is back to the player from last season. Miley looks like a midfielder filling in at RB. The keeper is bang average.
And the tactics first half were non-existent.
It’s a shame we didn’t have a player like Steur on the bench who could speed up the link up play. Oh. We did. Total waste of time watching that lot.’
David Punton:
‘A result which begs questions about the direction of this team and its manager.
At the moment we are so poor. Early season optimism has been wiped out.
Villa, fresh from a 6-0 win in the Champions League, were able to see us off pretty comfortably.
The formation doesn’t seem to be working and it’s up to the manager to address this.
Of course the winner would be scored by a player we thought we had signed in the summer.
It seems like it’s going to be a long hard season.’
Billy Miller:
‘Monday’s result meant a bad start to the week. Tonight’s has ruined the weekend. Worthy of a draw in my opinion but lack of cutting edge was our downfall once more.’
Simon Ritter:
‘When Lindelof seems to be a world-class defender, something is sadly lacking in the opposition.
Loads of huff and puff from Newcastle United but not one effort on target from a midfielder or an attacker.
Botman forced one impressive save from Suzuki.
Burn, a late, late sub, got on the end of a couple of crosses without testing the keeper.
Wissa looks toothless again and Fernandez-Pardo ran and ran, to little effect.
I can’t see where the next win will come.’
Tony Mallabar:
‘Our 6th year into the project, 1-0 down at home to Villa with 2 minutes left and Dan Burn is leading the line.’
Newcastle United 0 Aston Villa 1 – Saturday 17 October 2026 5.30pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Villa:
Manzambi 36
Possession was Newcastle 49% Villa 51%
Total shots were Newcastle 16 Villa 15
Shots on target were Newcastle 1 Villa 3
Corners were Newcastle 4 Villa 5
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 39 Villa 27
Newcastle team v Aston Villa:
Hornicek, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Lewis Miley, Gonzalez, Willock (Osula 56), Joelinton (Burn 90), Wissa, Barnes, Fernandez-Pardo (Toure 56)
Unused subs:
Pope, Schar, Bamba, Steur, Dedic, Murphy