Emiliano Buendia scored a wonder goal as Aston Villa beat Newcastle United 2-0 away to keep their title hopes alive.
The Magpies, without their injured captain Bruno Guimaraes, could have led in the first minute when Sandro Tonali beat three players and fired in a low effort which Emi Martinez brilliantly saved.
Villa also went close early on when Jadon Sancho found Ollie Watkins whose effort was well saved by Nick Pope off his line.
And the visitors broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Morgan Rogers laid it off to Buendia whose dipping shot from distance arrowed into the corner beyond Pope’s despairing dive.
Unai Emery’s side dominated possession for the rest of the half but their final ball let them down.
It was the home side who came close to scoring when Lewis Miley’s goal-bound header was brilliantly kept out by Martinez.
The visitors continued to threaten on the counter-attack in the second half with substitute Leon Bailey’s effort blocked.
Eddie Howe brought on Nick Woltemade, Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock in the second half but it failed to yield a goal.
Their best chance fell to Anthony Gordon at the back post who was unable to cleanly collect with Kieran Trippier’s cross.
And it was Villa who sealed victory on 88 minutes when Newcastle failed to clear a corner and Lucas Digne’s cross was nodded in by Watkins.
The result sees the Midlands side go joint second in the Premier League table with Manchester City, four points behind leaders Arsenal who clash with Manchester United at 4.30pm.
