It wasn’t the ideal situation to be in after last week’s dramatic, heartbreaking Champions League exit, but by this time next week we could be in the FA Cup final as well as having made great strides towards a return to the biggest show in town. We could have had an easier start than one of our rivals for the top five spots, particularly as we don’t have a great recent record against them. Still, that’s the price of success.

There was the usual squad rotation, with Ollie Watkins starting, and it didn’t take long for his presence to be felt. Yet again Youri Tielemans threaded a slide-rule pass through and it many have taken a deflection but you make your own luck and Villa deserve plenty of it.

Watkins hit the bar again before Villa showed that they’re still fallible by gifting an equaliser through the legs of the best keeper in the world, who’s looked a bit fallible himself lately.

The team didn’t seem too downhearted by this setback and Marco Asensio should have done better than mis-kicking a clear opportunity, while a strong header from Watkins hit the post. One-one at half-time and Villa resumed where they’d left off but it took almost twenty minutes before Asensio passed to Watkins, who let in Ian Maatsen to give Villa the lead.

Unai Emery got a bit of criticism for his substitutions against PSG but being in front didn’t stop him from changing things around again today. On came Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana, within seconds Ramsey had crossed for Tielemans although the foot that put the ball into the net belonged to a Newcastle defender.

A couple of minutes later Morgan Rogers had a shot blocked and with Villa preventing Newcastle from clearing the ball fell to Onana, who rifled it into the next from twenty yards. Villa were totally in control and could have had a coupe more – Ramsey in particular being unlucky to see his shot his the woodwork again.

4-1 and a certain amount of revenge for some of the results we’ve endured against Newcastle since That Banner. It wasn’t just the scoreline that was worthy of praise, either. The opposition are one of the form teams in the Premier League yet we destroyed them.

Villa’s midfield were totally dominant and laid the foundation for the number of chances that were created. There was no sign of either tiredness nor loss of confidence following the exploits in midweek. And most importantly, the team’s attitude is different to even twelve months ago. At this stage last season we were running on empty and just about staggered over the line. This time we’re motoring at full speed.