Newcastle 4-0 Aston Villa (Wilson ’45+6, ’56, Joelinton ’59, Almiron ’67)
The smile from Gareth Southgate said it all.
England have a vacancy for a goalscoring bolter in Qatar and in-form Callum Wilson looks every inch the man who can fill it.
Wilson is the man spearheading Newcastle’s assault on the Champions League places and outside the elevated plain occupied by Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, there is no-one with a surer touch in the six-yard box in the Premier League right now. His main competition is Ivan Toney but Wilson, once again, is timing his run perfectly.
His composed penalty that kick-started this rout drew a grin from Southgate, who had been the subject of some light-hearted badgering in the hospitality suites about taking Newcastle’s number nine to Qatar. But a close range header in the second half – his sixth goal in nine Premier League games this season – made a strong case for inclusion in England’s travelling party.
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Such is Wilson’s class that he’d be a certainty for the squad if there weren’t lingering doubts about whether he can sustain a run of games without breaking down. But given Kane will start for England, Wilson would only be required for game-changing cameos or to unpick tricky defences. He is more than capable of either of those tasks.
Wilson’s brace made Southgate’s trip worthwhile but Tyneside will be wishing there was no World Cup break looming, such is the unerring momentum gathering at Newcastle.
If it isn’t already, their form should be causing alarm among the rest of the big six. Newcastle have arrived and are a clear and present danger to those who usually carve up the Champions League places.
A giant banner unfurled by the Wor Flags group before the game read “The City is believing again” and the locals probably aren’t the only ones after this rampant display.
While Chelsea stumbled and Spurs toiled, the Magpies overcame an obdurate Aston Villa side who came to St James’ Park to disrupt and spoil. During a first half plagued by long stoppages it looked as though those tactics – which Newcastle have been accused of deploying themselves at times – would be successful.
But there are gears for Eddie Howe’s teams to move through these days, and it’s often Miguel Almiron with his hand on the lever. Last week he got the ball rolling at Tottenham, this week it was his shot that was parried by Ashley Young to hand Newcastle a stoppage time penalty. Wilson swept it home and St James’ Park exhaled.
The second half was a procession most notable for Almiron’s sixth goal in six games. The man mocked by Jack Grealish in May suddenly looks unstoppable, and his beautiful curling effort offered Villa substitute ‘keeper Robin Olsen no chance of stopping it. Newcastle declared at four but could have had more, such was their dominance.
Southgate stayed to the end and must have put a huge tick next to Kieran Trippier’s name too. He is a cert for a starting right-back role now Kyle Walker and Reece James are out, and there can’t be many English defenders performing as solidly as Dan Burn either.
Also present at a soggy St James’ Park was Brazil manager Tite, who had met Bruno Guimaraes for dinner in a Jesmond steak house during the week. He delivered a typically classy display but a close range strike from Guimaraes’ compatriot Joelinton was a reminder that if Brazil need a midfield enforcer, he doesn’t have anything planned for November.
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