Papiss Demba Cisse had a dream debut as his goal gave Newcastle United a 2-1 win at home to Aston Villa, putting his side fifth. More
- Thanks for joining me for an entertaining match. I'm also doing Chelsea v Manchester United in a bit, so join me for that in a few minutes! FOLLOW ON TWITTER!
90+4 Well past the three minutes and the ref finally blows! Cisse drops to his knees and Newcastle win to go fifth, behind Chelsea only on goal difference! They will be praying for a Manchester United win on Tyneside!
89' NEWCASTLE SUB: Ba is replaced by Ameobi (Shola).
87' WHAT A SAVE BY KRUL! Super cross from Bannan, Gardner flies in with the header that hits Williamson en route but somehow Krul keeps it out and holds on to the loose ball despite the presence of Heskey flying in!!
85' VILLA SUB: Gardner comes on for Clark.
84' Villa are in as Heskey lays it off to Clark but Krul is equal to his long-range drive, parrying clear.
81' Obertan with a low cross, off the heel of Cuellar AND IT DROPS TO CISSE WITH THE HALF VOLLEY BUT DEFLECTED JUST WIDE OFF CUELLAR!
80' Perch with a screaming effort from 30 yards but it bends just wide. Given had it covered but a fine strike.
72' GOAL NEWCASTLE! AND IT'S CISSE ON HIS DEBUT! Jonas with a nice cross that Dunne completely misses while trying to clear, Cisse takes it on the chest and half-volleys into the roof of the net with his left foot. BOOM, as they say.
69' Superb low cross by Warnock that Bent will surely finish but a superb block by Coloccini denies the England striker!
68' Bent immediately holds his hands up in apology after a scything, striker's tackle on Guthrie after losing the ball to the Toon midfielder.
66' VILLA SUB: He was starting to have an impact but McLeish brings off N'Zogbia. Heskey in his place. Wonder if he'll play centre-back? Joking.
65' Guthrie feeds Coloccini of all people, back to Guthrie, great ball wide to Obertan who cuts in and shoots but blocked!
62' Santon tries to thread Ba in, Dunne should clear but mis-kicks and Toon swarm forward - Obertan puts it in, Guthrie touches it down to Santon with a super cross from the left AND CISSE IS FREE but he heads over!
47' Given flaps dreadfully at a high ball into the box but he gets away with it as neither Ba nor Cisse able to finish the pinball in the box.
46' The second half is underway!
- VILLA SUB: Ireland has an ankle knock and on comes Bannan in his place.
- Some of your are saying Warnock should have been sent off for his flying tackle on Ryan Taylor when Newcastle took the lead - it was blood and thunder for sure, but both men flew in. What do you think? HAVE YOUR SAY!
- @2222hancock: "Newcastle in cruise control in the first half, Villa have really got to change their approach, Bent isolated up front" - have your say on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport FOLLOW HERE!
45+6 And a subdued St James' sighs as the ref blows for half-time. Good half of football though, even-stevens and reflected in the scoreline.
45+5 GOAL VILLA! KEANE WITH A FLYING VOLLEY AT CLOSE RANGE AFTER A BRILLIANT CROSS FROM N'ZOGBIA!!
45+4 The Guthrie ball over the top is deflected off Keane AND BA WITH A FLICK but it lands on the roof of the net! Much better spell for Toon now.
45+3 Perch wide left to Santon, he cuts inside, shoots with his right but Cuellar blocked and - with Given totally wrong-footed - it trickles wide.
45+2 Great ball over the top from Guthrie, catches Dunne out completely and Cisse is in but - with Hutton hurling himself back in time - he can only poke it wide!
41' Free-kick to Villa on the right... Ireland to take and, with everyone seeing a cross, he drops it short to Ireland who curls in a shot but just wide!
39' Dunne goes forward on a run but Jonas chases him down - Dunne then takes a swing at him and is booked for a needless foul in an attacking position.
37' Simpson is booked for a late one that leaves his opponent in the ad hoardings.
33' NEWCASTLE SUB: Taylor leaves on a stretcher, the second Toon player to come off already today. Obertan on in his place.
31' Newcastle's new Bash Brothers celebrate by kneeling to what I assume is the Eastern direction. Poor Taylor, meanwhile, is down after his bravery to assist Ba. Clash of knees with Warnock, who was also brave.
30' GOAL NEWCASTLE! And I don't need to say who it is! Santon's cross is only half-cleared by Dunne, who was bullied by Ba there, Taylor risks life and limb to get to the loose ball and Ba rattled in the finish.
28' Still Villa ball though as Dunne plays in a lovely through-ball for BENT WHO IS IN BUT GREAT STOP KRUL! Made himself big with Bent at an angle left side again. Now Keane tries one from range but easy for Krul.
23' Jonas - who is the flamboyant dance instructor to Santon's exchange student - gets down the left but can't find Cisse. Santon crosses but Warnock is now injured, holding his head after clashing heads with Taylor.
16' ... Which Krul claims with ease before releasing quickly. Newcastle come forward as Cisse nicks it off Dunne on the right, he gives it to Simpson, wide to Taylor with a super early cross AND CISSE WITH THE HEADER but too close to Given!!
14' NEWCASTLE SUB: Best will not continue but despite the injury there are huge roars - Cisse makes his debut.
13' Cisse is stripping off now - maybe Best won't return. Played forward by Villa, the Toon defence are static and Bent is in wide left but his finish is beaten away by Krul! Super pass by Keane and a lovely run from Bent but Krul equal to it!
11' That was a great block from Warnock as Best was set to pull the trigger - Best has picked up a knock though.
1' The first half is underway!
13:20 If you want to delight in the return of Ba and Cisse for Toon, or bemoan the fact that Villa should be where Newcastle are, hit me up on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport. Remember - don't be in contempt of court. FOLLOW HERE!
12:45 TEAMS - Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Best; Subs: Elliot, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Shola Ameobi, Obertan, Ferguson /// Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia, Keane, Bent; Subs: Guzan, Heskey, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker, Gardner
87' WHAT A SAVE BY KRUL! Super cross from Bannan, Gardner flies in with the header that hits Williamson en route but somehow Krul keeps it out and holds on to the loose ball despite the presence of Heskey flying in!!
84' Villa are in as Heskey lays it off to Clark but Krul is equal to his long-range drive, parrying clear.
81' Obertan with a low cross, off the heel of Cuellar AND IT DROPS TO CISSE WITH THE HALF VOLLEY BUT DEFLECTED JUST WIDE OFF CUELLAR!
80' Perch with a screaming effort from 30 yards but it bends just wide. Given had it covered but a fine strike.
72' GOAL NEWCASTLE! AND IT'S CISSE ON HIS DEBUT! Jonas with a nice cross that Dunne completely misses while trying to clear, Cisse takes it on the chest and half-volleys into the roof of the net with his left foot. BOOM, as they say.
69' Superb low cross by Warnock that Bent will surely finish but a superb block by Coloccini denies the England striker!
65' Guthrie feeds Coloccini of all people, back to Guthrie, great ball wide to Obertan who cuts in and shoots but blocked!
62' Santon tries to thread Ba in, Dunne should clear but mis-kicks and Toon swarm forward - Obertan puts it in, Guthrie touches it down to Santon with a super cross from the left AND CISSE IS FREE but he heads over!
47' Given flaps dreadfully at a high ball into the box but he gets away with it as neither Ba nor Cisse able to finish the pinball in the box.
45+5 GOAL VILLA! KEANE WITH A FLYING VOLLEY AT CLOSE RANGE AFTER A BRILLIANT CROSS FROM N'ZOGBIA!!
45+4 The Guthrie ball over the top is deflected off Keane AND BA WITH A FLICK but it lands on the roof of the net! Much better spell for Toon now.
45+3 Perch wide left to Santon, he cuts inside, shoots with his right but Cuellar blocked and - with Given totally wrong-footed - it trickles wide.
45+2 Great ball over the top from Guthrie, catches Dunne out completely and Cisse is in but - with Hutton hurling himself back in time - he can only poke it wide!
41' Free-kick to Villa on the right... Ireland to take and, with everyone seeing a cross, he drops it short to Ireland who curls in a shot but just wide!
30' GOAL NEWCASTLE! And I don't need to say who it is! Santon's cross is only half-cleared by Dunne, who was bullied by Ba there, Taylor risks life and limb to get to the loose ball and Ba rattled in the finish.
28' Still Villa ball though as Dunne plays in a lovely through-ball for BENT WHO IS IN BUT GREAT STOP KRUL! Made himself big with Bent at an angle left side again. Now Keane tries one from range but easy for Krul.
16' ... Which Krul claims with ease before releasing quickly. Newcastle come forward as Cisse nicks it off Dunne on the right, he gives it to Simpson, wide to Taylor with a super early cross AND CISSE WITH THE HEADER but too close to Given!!
13' Cisse is stripping off now - maybe Best won't return. Played forward by Villa, the Toon defence are static and Bent is in wide left but his finish is beaten away by Krul! Super pass by Keane and a lovely run from Bent but Krul equal to it!
12:45 TEAMS - Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Best; Subs: Elliot, Cisse, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Shola Ameobi, Obertan, Ferguson /// Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia, Keane, Bent; Subs: Guzan, Heskey, Bannan, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker, Gardner
Newcastle UnitedManager: Alan Pardew
Aston VillaManager: Alex McLeish
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84′ Joseph, your comments are really not funny. How did Villa deserve to win? The object of the game is to score more than the opposition, therefore, Newcastle deserved to win as they did just that. Villa however, were happy to kick us off the pitch. No fan should even be happy that any player is injured.

dont get dizzy now nufc keep lookin up 4th hmmm only chealsea lol

Another world class performance by Heskey definatly deserves his Man Of The Match Award

Joseph..164...No class

tnewcastle lacked a little bit of quality in midfield due to the absence of cabaye/tiote, guthrie is magnificient but he needs one of those and not perch, i'm lovin papa cisse. hope to see more of him in the spurs game

ok this really isnt funny anymore, mcleish needs to be sacked right now! sick of seeing useless defensive 11 man in the box tactics. its really depressing to see villa playing like this, the only three players i thought gave it their all were nzogbia, keane and given.

Surprisingly not a bad game, Ba back where he left off scoring and a great debut goal by Cisse allthough thats all he did but it got the suprise team of the season 3 more points, i thought Keane played well him and Bent look good together 2-1 fair result

being a life long villa fan (40years) i want villa to do well,but mcleish is sooooo wrong for villa,we are 10 years backwards now ,no idea on how to change a game to move forward,please go,please go mcleish before its too late.

How didn't krul get man of the match??? But instead Guthrie?????? wth did he do?

Appreciate that, Julian. Means a lot coming from a Sunderland supporter. The biggest mistake the Magpies could make would be to overlook the strength of that March 4th game. I'm looking for an epic battle!

Comment 168 let me guess a mackum

Newcastle must have a nose Bleed being So Hi up in the Table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well done Newcastle. Given the result at Stoke yeaterday and Everton's feeble effort at Wigan, Could a double top six place for the North East be a possibility. Manchester will make it, London will, but could we sneak into that exaulted company at the expense of Arsenal and Liverpool. The memories of Sourness, McCarthy, Alladice and Keane are dissapearing over the horizon with their backsides on fire. Long may it continue.

Rich W - I'm baffled as to why you get abuse-you're probably the most sensible,well balanced Geordie on here !

James, you'd know all about relegation. Hope you stay in the Championship, and your owner is a Crook.

Newked ! KRO

too funny!

Magnificent goal for Cisse ... Hopefully Taylor will be better soon (looks like a fracture) ... Most importantly 3 points

WELL DONE NEWCASTLE from a birmingham fan. Villa deserve what they are getting at the moment. BIG ECKs in his comfort zone at the bottom take em down big eck PMSL PMSL
