Manzambi Downs Newcastle as Aston Villa Extend Unbeaten Run
Johan Manzambi struck for the second match running as Aston Villa earned a 1-0 Premier League victory over Newcastle at St. James’ Park, extending their unbeaten sequence in all competitions to five games.
The Switzerland midfielder, who had appeared likely to move to Newcastle during the summer before choosing Villa, settled the contest in the 36th minute. João Gomes moved towards the penalty area and delivered a curling cross which Manzambi met with a straightforward header beyond Lukáš Horníček.
It was Manzambi’s second league goal of the campaign and followed his goal in Villa’s 6-0 Champions League win against Fenerbahçe three days earlier. The result moved Villa up to 12th in the table.
Emery salutes Manzambi and Villa’s away display
Unai Emery said Manzambi had joined Villa because he saw an opportunity to develop while meeting the demands of the club’s project.
“He is a good person and a very professional player,” Emery said. “He has a real passion for football and wants to play in the way we want, with the demands we set.
“He chose to join us in the summer because he felt he could improve here, take on his own challenges and face high-quality challenges in his career.”
Emery also highlighted the discipline of Villa’s performance at a ground he described as one of the more difficult places to collect points.
“It was a tough match. Playing Newcastle in their stadium is a very difficult situation in which to get points,” he said. “We prepared properly and knew how important the three points were.
“Tactically and offensively we were very good. We defended set-pieces well, and in transition we created very good opportunities. We scored one of them. It was very good to continue the mentality we showed away at Tottenham.”
The win was Emery’s 100th Premier League victory across his spells in charge of Arsenal and Villa. Asked about the landmark, the Spaniard said he hoped to manage another 100 matches and win again, while stressing that football offers no guarantees.
Newcastle rue missed opportunities
Newcastle suffered a second successive league defeat despite having more possession and improving after the interval. Sven Botman and Yoane Wissa both had second-half opportunities, but the home side could not find the finish required to beat Villa.
Head coach Matthias Jaissle said Newcastle had controlled much of the contest before conceding, but accepted that their work in the final third fell short.
“We are disappointed with the result because we wanted to give our supporters a better one at home,” Jaissle said. “The response was there, particularly before we conceded.
“We controlled the game and dominated it, although we were not regularly getting into their box. That is an area we must improve. The team was affected by the goal, but the energy and belief returned immediately in the second half. We wanted at least a draw, if not a win.
“Our efficiency in the opposition area was missing. Between both boxes we were quite solid against a strong opponent, but our decisions in the final third were not good enough. We did not take the few chances that should have been enough to score.”
