We asked Dean Wilkins to give us his match ratings and player comments after Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 3.
Ramsdale 7
Didn’t really have anything to do, apart from the offside Abraham goal.
One of those I think where Nick Pope may well have saved it, as he is really good in those situations. Although the Villa player also got lucky when kicking the ball into the ground so it bounced over/past Ramsdale.
The stats show Villa had only one other effort on target and memory tells me that wasn’t a serious effort on goal.
The keeper did ok generally with crosses etc and Villa didn’t high press, so no pressure when in possession.
Trippier 7.5
Thought he was good.
He is always organising, talking to other players. Was having to get animated at times, telling certain players where they needed to be when United were defending corners and free-kicks.
Not helped by Murphy pretty poor in front of him.
Thiaw 7.5
Eddie Howe asking so much of the defender in his first Premier League season and he is delivering!
The injuries have put so much onus on Thiaw to play pretty much every match and I think these away games against Spurs and Villa he has been very good.
Burn 7
Looks far better at centre-back.
VERY frustrated when the Abraham goal wasn’t flagged up for offside.
Did well at the back and then got an assist for Tonali’s second, although tapping it sideways to the Italian for his super strike was one of least taxing assists ever!
Hall 8
My man of the match, as he usually is!
What a talent.
Had no issues in defence and his ability to ghost past the opposition when in attack, is top level.
Amongst the incredible number of shocking decisions going against Newcastle on Saturday night, some of them were so bad, the run into the box when Hall should have had a clear penalty will not get the attention it deserves.
Tonali 8
People saying Sandro Tonali back to his best etc etc.
To be honest, I don’t think he has been poor at all recently. Just a bit below the top level we know he is capable of.
Another who is having to play almost every match, as injuries hit.
When players score goals, there is a tendency from fans and those in the media to then distort how they have played generally in a game.
Sandro was decent in this match but I don’t think much better than he has been generally.
However, his two goals were excellent strikes, especially the second one. A beauty, a bit like one he scored against Brentford in the League Cup last season.
Both goals hit from outside the box and we need far more of this from Tonali (and others!!). He is one of the best at striking the ball from distance and we need this extra threat, rather than always trying to walk the ball into the net with countless passes.
Barnes 7
I though he was decent and an excellent move when combining with Osula before seeing his effort strike the outside of the post.
Barnes is definitely benefitting from regular starts and is a real asset.
Ramsey 7
A steady game and now putting in consistently good performances.
Will have loved going back to Villa Park and getting this huge win.
Jacob Murphy 6
I think for most fans, Elanga now looking the obvious selection on the right, for a one-off match.
Eddie Howe though having to juggle his scarce available assets, with so many matches.
Didn’t contribute much but was involved in two of the biggest talking points.
The shameful Digne challenge where Murphy was lucky to escape serious injury and should have been a red card. Then the ridiculous Villa keeper trying to finish off Digne’s work, even this useless referee couldn’t fail to produce a red card.
Woltemade 7
I thought some of the pundit/journalist criticism was way over the top.
Yes, at times he could have got in the box more. However, he linked up play really well in the attacking third and a lot of the time we just didn’t get enough players, enough times, willing to get beyond Big Nick when he was dropping deep.
He did well to get his goal and that earned him an extra half point rating.
Osula 5
Really poor.
Had one very decent moment when Barnes played a one-two with him and the winger ended up hitting the post.
For me, Osula will never be a centre-forward. Certainly not at the top level.
His best games/moments have almost all come when playing on the right and cutting inside, facing play, not with his back to goal through the middle.
SUBS
Gordon 7
Positive impact when introduced.
Very unlucky to see his low drive deflected by a defender just past the post.
Elanga 6.5
Similar to Gordon, did well when he came on and stretched Villa.
Willock 6
Did ok when coming on to help see the win out.
Alex Murphy N/A
Not on long enough to rate.
Chris Kavanagh 11 (out of 10 for Aston Villa)
Easily Villa’s man of the match.
Kavanagh very unlucky to see his team lose.
He couldn’t have done much more to affect the result.
A committed performance for the 90+ minutes and will feel hard done by to end up on the losing side.