Sunday February 5, 2012 Day 24 Finished Sports Direct Arena

Newcastle United 2 - 1 Aston Villa

  • Ba 30’
  • Cissé 71’
  • Keane 45’

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  1. Cisse scores on debut as Newcastle beat Villa

    Cisse scores on debut as Newcastle beat Villa

    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

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Newcastle United
    • Aston Villa
    • - Don't forget you can watch highlights of this match, along with every Premier League game, from 00:01 on Monday morning (UK only).
    • - 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!
    • 90+3 Bannan on the left but Williamson heads his cross away. Newcastle manage to clear and surely this is it as Jonas has the ball and runs it wide?
    • 90+2 Ameobi in the corner again but he gives away a free-kick: Given lumps it long.
    • 90+1 Ameobi has obviously been given a brief to take it into the corners. He does just that.
    • 90' Three minutes added time.
    • 89' NEWCASTLE SUB: Ba is replaced by Ameobi (Shola).
    • 88' All Villa now as Keane's ball is held up by Bent, now Heskey and Warnock but Toon have everyone back and clear.
    • 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!!
    • 86' Gardner gets an early touch as Petrov slides him in but he fires well wide from the edge of the box.
    • 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.
    • 83' Keane is furious that Mark Halsey hasn't given him a free-kick after Williamson clearly blocked him on the edge of the D as he tried a one-two with Bent. I agree - poor refereeing, he took his eye off the play.
    • 82' Cisse is enjoying himself now. His record in Germany for Freiburg - a small club, largely made up of little-known players - is 37 goals in 65 league games. Not bad.
    • 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.
    • 79' Ba slides Cisse in down the right but, for all his attributes, it takes a while for him to hit top speed so Given can come out - he makes a bit of a mess of it though, but survives in the end. 'Dodgy keeper' the Toon fans sing at their old hero. Give over.
    • 78' Jonas is back up and able to clear before playing Cisse in. He's offside though. Looks like Jonas will be okay.
    • 77' Jonas seems to be in some trouble, not sure if it's his knee or lower quad...
    • 76' Jonas is down hurt now... Holding his knee...
    • 74' Guthrie with a fine touch and chest before clearing the ball. He's been excellent today.
    • 73' Cisse has his pecker up, sliding in to block Dunne's clearance. Looks a fine signing already.
    • 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.
    • 71' Bannan takes the corner, it skims off a pair of heads and lands just too quickly for Keane who can't control it. All the way back to Given now, whose long punt is flicked on by Heskey, who commits the foul.
    • 70' Coloccini then fouls Keane around 30 yards out. Bannan and Petrov over it... Short from Petrov to Hutton whose cross is blocked by Santon for a corner.
    • 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.
    • 67' Heskey is playing on the left and gets an early touch as Villa look to hold on to the ball.
    • 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!
    • 64' All a bit scrappy now. Ireland's exit means Villa have less craft in midfield, while Toon are all about getting it wide and getting it in anyway.
    • 63' Cisse should have scored there. He snaffled them up for Freiburg in Germany. Possibly a bit ring-rusty after travelling back from Africa.
    • 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!
    • 61' Guthrie to put this in with Taylor out of the equation... headed clear by Dunne.
    • 60' Super turn by Jonas on the left to draw a foul from Bannan. Free-kick then wide left...
    • 59' Down the other end a long ball is claimed by Krul. He launches it and Dunne fouls Cisse.
    • 58' Simpson with a cross in that Ba head down for Cisse but it drops just short of his mate and Villa clear.
    • 56' The home fans are singing Ba's name enthusiastically. Bit of a lull after a frantic spell...
    • 55' Newcastle counter after a good spell of Villa possession, Obertan races away and cuts inside but is pushed wide by Dunne, who does well this time as the Frenchman shoots well wide.
    • 54' Cisse wide right to Obertan, he crosses but too high for Cisse. It drops to Guthrie but he smacks it well over.
    • 53' Taken short by Petrov to Keane, he gets it back but the cross is cleared by Williamson.
    • 52' N'Zogbia rides a few challenges but Coloccini gets in to tackle - he miscontrols and puts it out for a corner before clearing though.
    • 51' Obertan is almost sent in by a high ball from Guthrie down the right. Close.
    • 50' Guthrie will take this one but lands it on Dunne's head, the Irishman heading out for a throw.
    • 49' Obertan on a mazy run but Clark and Warnock get in his way so he lays it off to Simpson, who wins a corner off Warnock.
    • 48' Given, who as we know played for Newcastle but unlike N'Zogbia is fondly-regarded on Tyneside, claims a high ball this time, though straight and under no pressure.
    • 48' People often wonder why Given has never been at a big four club (City don't count as they weren't when he started for them). That is why - he usually doesn't even come for crosses, but when he does he is a bit of a joker.
    • 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!
    • - Good news for Toon fans - Taylor, as I initially suspected, just the victim of heavy bruising, say Toon medical staff. Scan tomorrow I'd have thought.
    • - 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+6 That is Keane's third goal since joining Villa from LA and he celebrates with his trademark somersault. Why oh why did you go to the US? Far too good, still. He started that move too with a fine touch and pass to N'Zog.
    • 45+5 GOAL VILLA! KEANE WITH A FLYING VOLLEY AT CLOSE RANGE AFTER A BRILLIANT CROSS FROM N'ZOGBIA!!
    • 45+5 Villa with a succession of high balls in but Williamson and Santon clear. Back with Krul now after a poor ball from Warnock.
    • 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!
    • 45+1 Coloccini and Perch combine to clear their lines, back to Krul who launches it long.
    • 45' Six minutes time added on due to the injuries to Best and Taylor.
    • 44' N'Zogbia's corner is met by a flying Dunne but his volley is blocked up in the air and Toon clear.
    • 43' Good play by Villa again as N'Zogbia and Keane combine but Coloccini with a good block. Corner. Villa have actually been the better side.
    • 42' Petrov with a super ball through for Bent, who is just offside. Great interplay involving Keane too. Santon stepped up in time.
    • 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!
    • 40' N'Zogbia on a direct run down the left and he shoots but into the side netting.
    • 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.
    • 38' Ba with a superb touch and run in but he holds on to the ball for too long and Villa clear.
    • 37' Simpson is booked for a late one that leaves his opponent in the ad hoardings.
    • 36' Cisse almost puts Ba through but Ba's first touch is poor and Dunne can clear - poorly in the end, but at least to touch.
    • 35' Early touch for Obertan as he plays it to Perch, who clears.
    • 34' On a more positive note for Toon, that is Ba's 16th Prem goal this season.
    • 33' NEWCASTLE SUB: Taylor leaves on a stretcher, the second Toon player to come off already today. Obertan on in his place.
    • 32' This actually looks serious for Taylor, the medics have strapped his leg up. There didn't seem to be a twist a such, just a knock. Hopefully just heavy brusing and no crack.
    • 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.
    • 30' Cisse gets away from Cuellar with a super turn but Hutton is across quickly to slide in to clear to touch. Great skill.
    • 29' The break is on for Villa, Bent gets down the inside left after another great run off the ball but he has no support and lacks the skills to go it alone, eventually closed down.
    • 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.
    • 27' Villa break as Hutton has space but a poor low cross is cleared by Coloccini.
    • 26' Simpson with a mid-height cross that Cisse takes on the chest but he's closed down quickly and Given claims. Could have gone first time...
    • 25' Warnock is on his feet and trots off for the customary restart. Toon keep the ball deep in defence.
    • 24' Long delay as Warnock gets treatment. Looks dazed more than anything.
    • 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.
    • 22' Ireland eases the pressure with a run down the right. He wins a throw off Santon. Toon get it back though as Clark gives the ball away.
    • 21' Another poor near-post delivery from Ryan Taylor though, doesn't clear the first man.
    • 20' Ba has a pop from range that is deflected heavily for a corner to Toon.
    • 19' Poor ball from Taylor, failing to clear the first man at the near post. The return ball is launched in by Guthrie, half-cleared for Taylor to half-volley but he blasts it miles over.
    • 18' Jonas and Santon combine on the right with the latter winning a free-kick off Clark just to the left of the Villa box. Set up for a Taylor swerver...
    • 17' N'Zogbia is tackled by Santon and then fouls the Italian while trying to recover the ball: Santon looks like a language exchange student with his scraggly beard and spiky barnet. I could see him in a puffa jacket and a tube map looking confused at Kings Cross.
    • 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!!
    • 15' Ireland on the Villa right as the visitors get their noses up after that chance. Good possession play as Keane plays in Bent with a stepover but the return pass is too heavy; Keane keeps it in - just - and plays a pass-back but to his and McLeish's fury there is no-one arriving in the box. Corner though...
    • 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!
    • 12' Cisse warms up as Best receives treatment. He'd love to get on now, but ideally not at the expense of Best's fitness.
    • 11' That was a great block from Warnock as Best was set to pull the trigger - Best has picked up a knock though.
    • 10' Ba with a slide tackle, now Guthrie is on it, he puts Best in but Warnock puts in a strong tackle on the edge of the box.
    • 9' Ba gives it away and N'Zogbia comes forward - he is dispossessed but it's Bent who makes the challenge in front of his defence.
    • 8' A bit scrappy now as the high ball is employed by both sides.
    • 7' Boos followed by cheers as N'Zogbia cuts inside from the left before blasting a dreadful shot high and wide.
    • 6' Another attempted through-ball for Ba but Cuellar again intercepts: however, Taylor was late on Ireland so a free-kick on halfway.
    • 5' Excitement as Jonas almost slides Ba in but cleared long by Cuellar.
    • 4' Given takes his time clearing a backpass and almost gets caught out by Best, but he makes the kick.
    • 3' Toon still holding on to the ball as they look to dictate the tempo of this match. St James' Park (and I will still call it that, as I have no interest in promoting cheap tracksuits) is bumping.
    • 2' The boos ring out as Bent gets a touch, simply because he played for (and left!) Sunderland. Gotta love football fans. Free-kick Toon as Simpson is tripped.
    • 1' Good start for Toon as Taylor whips in a decent cross but Dunne heads clear.
    • 1' The first half is underway!
    • 13:25 As you may know, snow has ravaged Britain these past few days. Now though it's the turn of the normally temperate South to bear the brunt of the weather - the North East and Scotland is fairly sunny at the moment, so no major problems should surface at Toon. Yay!
    • 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!
    • 13:15 Today's referee is Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
    • 13:10 MATCH ODDS: Newcastle 11/10, Villa 5/2, Draw 12/5.
    • 13:05 FACTS: Aston Villa have lost just two of their last 12 Premier League away games (W4 D6 L2) and none of the last five (W3 D2); Darren Bent has scored in four of his last five Premier League appearances and now has 100 Premier League goals; Aston Villa have recovered more points from losing positions than any other team in the top flight (11). (Opta)
    • 13:05 FACTS: Alex McLeish has won none and lost three of his five matches as a Premier League coach against Newcastle; Toon have lost just two of their last 15 Premier League home matches (W8 D5 L2); This fixture ended 6-0 to the Magpies last season; None of the last nine Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Aston Villa have been away wins (Opta)
    • 13:00 Alex McLeish: "The finish for his goal and his second-half performance (against QPR) as a whole was much more in keeping with what I expect of Charles (N'Zogbia). Hopefully that kick-starts his Villa career. He has had good games but in the second half he was much more electric. Charles is a big player. These guys are Premier League players earning a lot of money and we expect top performances from them. We had that in the second half so more of the same please."
    • 13:00 Alan Pardew: "We've got to keep it going and chase down Chelsea. It's a great opportunity now and hopefully we can achieve something special. It's incredible. We're fifth and above Arsenal and Liverpool. We've got 39 points and we're safe so that's one job done. Now we've got 15 cup finals and it's all to play for."
    • 12:55 Villa striker Gaby Agbonlahor misses out after a recurrence of back and hamstring spasms that have plagued him recently. Winger Marc Albrighton (thigh), defender James Collins (calf) and midfielder Chris Herd (ankle) are all out.
    • 12:50 So Demba Ba returns to the starting line-up after Senegal's early exit from the African Cup of Nations. Compatriot and new signing Papis Demba Cisse is on the bench, as Leon Best is rewarded for his good form with a continued starting slot. Chiek Tiote is still in Africa, Yohan Cabaye banned. Hatem Ben Arfa is surprisingly only a sub. Steven Taylor (Achilles), Sylvain Marveaux (groin) and Sammy Ameobi (knee) are continued absentees.
    • 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
    • - Hello and welcome to our LIVE text coverage of Newcastle United v Aston Villa, kicking off at 1.30pm UK time.

  • Summary

    • 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

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      9 -
      Defenders
      Yellow Card 6.8 -
      6.4 -
      8.3 -
      8.4 -
      Midfielders
      8.3 -
      6.7 -
      Substitution Out34′ 7.4 -
      7.8 -
      Strikers
      Goal Substitution Out90′ 9.1 -
      Substitution Out14′ 6.2 -
      Subs
      Substitution In90′ 6.6 -
      Substitution In34′ 7.7 -
      Substitution In14′ Goal 9.2 -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      4.5 -
      Defenders
      5 -
      5.5 -
      Yellow Card 4.5 -
      3.4 -
      Midfielders
      5.5 -
      Substitution Out84′ 5.8 -
      Substitution Out45′ 5.8 -
      Goal 7 -
      Substitution Out67′ 5.8 -
      Strikers
      Yellow Card 4.5 -
      Subs
      Substitution In67′ 6.6 -
      Substitution In45′ 5 -
      Substitution In84′ 5.8 -

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