Gary Neville has no doubts that Newcastle will get out of their relegation trouble after beating Aston Villa | Football News

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville gave his reaction to Newcastle United’s 1-0 victory against Aston Villa as Kieran Trippier’s free-kick sealed all three points for the Magpies.

Speaking after Newcastle’s third win on the bounce – a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa on Super Sunday – Neville reflected on the shifting momentum at St James’ Park…

Read on for the former Manchester United defender’s verdict or listen to the podcast below…

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‘It feels like St James’ Park is back’

I remember Newcastle when they were right up there challenging for the title and their 1-0 win over Aston Villa was probably the best I’ve seen St James’ Park in the 10 or 11 years I’ve been working for Sky.

The feeling and the energy inside the stadium after a performance that was really good. The work rate of the players was really good and it feels like St James’ Park is back.

I’ve got goose bumps as this place has been absolutely depressing. In fact, it’s been awful and I’ve not enjoyed coming up here at all. There’s been woeful football and it’s been spiritless in terms of the club being disconnected from the fans.

Now, this feels like something. They’re still down the bottom of the league but watching that performance against Aston Villa, I’ve got no doubts they’ll get out of relegation trouble this season.

Obviously, they’ve got to continue to play like that. With the new ownership, the new manager and the new signings, things have changed. The big thing is the old owner leaving.

He [Mike Ashley] had to get out of the club but they’re now producing team performances. I’ve seen individual brilliance in the past from Newcastle over the past 10 or 11 years but today they felt connected on the pitch. They’ve got a good spine of experience.

This felt like something they can build on. The crowd are such an asset here but, if you flip that, it can be an absolutely terrible place for Newcastle to play if they’re not with you.

That has been the case a lot over the past five or six years because the manager hasn’t been right or due to the owner, but it just feels completely different.

Momentum keeps on growing for resurgent Newcastle

Sky Sports journalist Dan Long:

Eddie Howe said it himself – it wasn’t pretty. But Newcastle held on for a narrow victory and gave their chances of survival, which have looked slim for much of the season so far, a huge boost. The result moves them four points clear of 17th-placed Norwich with a game in hand.

There were not too many clear cut chances for either side, but the game was, ultimately, settled by a moment of quality from Kieran Trippier, whose wonderful curling free-kick – after Newcastle had seen a penalty downgraded to a free-kick by VAR Paul Tierney – sealed a significant win for the hosts in front of a raucous crowd.

While the winner was wildly celebrated, the cheers were perhaps even louder when Ollie Watkins’ headed equaliser was chalked off for a marginal offside with the help of a second VAR review with an hour gone.

The manner of the victory was representative of Newcastle’s revival: on nine occasions this season they have taken the lead in games and gone on to either draw or lose, while only on three occasions have they scored first and won, with two of those coming in their last three Premier League games.

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