Aston Villa and Newcastle played out a dull 0-0 draw at Villa Park in the Premier League’s early kick-off, with neither side able to find a breakthrough even after the hosts were reduced to ten men.
Ezri Konsa’s red card gave Newcastle a numerical advantage, but Eddie Howe’s side failed to make it count in a game that never sparked into life. Without Alexander Isak leading the line, the Magpies lacked the cutting edge needed to punish Villa, and chances came and went without real conviction.
Villa, who were forced to sit deep following Konsa’s dismissal, managed to contain Newcastle comfortably, while the visitors’ attacking play fell flat. Despite dominating possession, the visitors never looked like forcing a decisive moment, underlining their need for a striker with Isak unavailable.
Both sides will consider the point acceptable in different contexts Villa holding on after going down to ten men, and Newcastle taking something away from a tricky away fixture. But there is little doubt that for Newcastle, it was two points dropped, with a missed opportunity to climb further up the table.