Newcastle 1-0 Aston Villa: Pick of the stats
- Published
Newcastle have won three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November 2018 under Rafael Benitez.
Aston Villa are winless in their last 13 Premier League visits to Newcastle (drawn six, lost seven) since a 3-0 win back in April 2005. The Villans have conceded one goal in each of their last seven top-flight games at St James’ Park.
Steven Gerrard has lost five of his 12 Premier League matches as Aston Villa manager (won five, drawn two), one more than he lost in his last 76 league matches as Rangers manager (W59 D13 L4).
Three of Newcastle’s last five Premier League goals have been direct free-kick goals – just three of their previous 168 league goals had been via this method, a run stretching back to December 2017.
Kieran Trippier is only the second Newcastle United player to score a direct free-kick in consecutive Premier League appearances, after Hugo Viana in May 2003. He is also the first Newcastle player to score multiple direct free-kick goals in a season since Yohan Cabaye in 2012-13 (also two).