AND to think Unai Emery actually turned Newcastle down.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but while Aston Villa’s new manager is parachuted into a battle at the bottom, the giddy Toon Army are signing about winning the league.
Wilson scored again for Newcastle
The Magpies are now fourth in the Premier League table
Villa are the latest to feel the full force of St James’ Park, with the Tyneside express just about unstoppable right now.
Emery decided to stay at Villarreal last November when the Magpies’ new owners chose him over Eddie Howe as their first manager.
As sliding doors moments go, that was massive.
Howe was the beneficiary, transforming a group of no-hopers into, right now, the most feared side in the land.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said on Friday that Newcastle were ‘contenders’ at the top – and who can argue with that?
This mauling of the Brummies, their fifth win in six games, leaves Howe’s boys five points off top with a third of the campaign down.
In front of England boss Gareth Southgate, Callum Wilson strengthened his claim for a World Cup call up with a double to take his season’s tally to six.
Joelinton is yet to win a Brazil cap but he can’t have done his chances any danger with his first of the campaign with head coach Tite also in attendance.
And Miguel Almiron just can’t stop scoring screamers, with this latest making it six goals in his last six.
Both sides were unchanged following last weekend’s victories, with Newcastle going into a Prem game in the top-four for the first time since April 2012.
It was a huge day for the four Brazilians involved but the early star Villa’s Argentina international Emi Buendia.
With the pace of Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey to the playmaker’s side, the visitors were a constant menace.
Newcastle keeper Nick Pope was a bystander, but only because of two great last-ditch blocks to deny Buendia.
Kieran Trippier was looking the most likely to open Villa up and his ball played Miguel Almiron in, only for sub keeper Robin Olsen to race out and block.
The Swede was on because Emi Martinez was forced off 35 minutes with a knock to the head.
He had gone down earlier but soldiered on before being replaced soon after.
Another lengthy stoppage for a Buendia injury meant TEN minutes of injury time – and then when Toon took the lead from the spot.
Ashley Young slid in to block Almiron’s shot from the right but his arm way out high above him, giving ref Paul Tierney the easiest decision when it struck it.
Ice cool as ever, Wilson lifted it down the middle past the diving Olsen to end a forgettable opening 45 minutes.
Bruno was purring right from off following the break – when he is on it Toon are irresistible, and they were 4-0 up 22 minutes after the restart.
The Brazilian’s dinked through ball to Almiron down the right was a peach, leading to a corner.
Kieran Trippier played it short to Almiron, with the Paraguayan inviting a defender over before a cheeky flick back to Trippier in space.
His floated ball into the mixer was as inviting as you can get, with Wilson on hand to nod down and into the far corner.
Next up was a brilliant counter attack, started by that man Bruno swatting aside a Villa attacker on the edge of his own box.
Worked through the lines, Villa were all over the shop as it broke to Wilson at the other end.
Olsen was down to deny but Joelinton was on hand to bundle home his first of the season in front of Tite.
It was damage limitation for Villa now but with Howe and his assistant Jason Tindall demanding more, a rout was on the cards.
The Magpies’ form man in recent weeks has been Almiron and the Paraguayan duly obliged again with his sixth goal in six games.
Another absolute worldie, Miggy cut in from the right and unleashed an unstoppable curler off that trusty left peg beyond Olsen.
Wilson then rattled the bar, narrowly missing out on a hat-trick before sub Jacob Murphy fired off the post.
The Toon Army were in dreamland now, singing about winning the league.
They haven’t done that in the top-flight since 1927 – but they are only five points off the summit now!
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