Newcastle United vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League latest score ...

Follow all the action from St. James' Park

Follow live coverage as Newcastle United face Aston Villa today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.

Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

Newcastle United FC 3 - 0 Aston Villa FC

FULL-TIME: NEWCASTLE UNITED 3-0 ASTON VILLA.

We'll play five additional minutes of time as Newcastle close in on a third straight victory, with Isak getting to the byline and scooping an attempted cross over the top.

Substitution Bruno Guimarães Rodriguez Moura Lewis Miley

Schar and Isak both try to bring down a high ball in Villa's box with a view to getting a shot away, but the former is flagged for offside and the free-kick goes Villa's way.

Substitution Alexander Isak William Idamudia Daugard Osula

Goal Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira

Buendia does well to escape the attention of Targett and whips a cross into the middle, but it's easily headed clear by Schar as Newcastle look to preserve their clean sheet.

Aston Villa have lost their last four Premier League away games, as many as they had in their previous 17 on the road. The Villans last lost more consecutively away from home in a single campaign between February and May 2016, with seven straight on their way to relegation.

WIDE!!! Guimaraes looks to make up for that disallowed goal with a snap-shot from the edge of the box, but he can only send his 20-yard effort wide of the near post!

NO GOAL!!! Although the comical nature of that finish seemed entirely of Villa's own doing, Konsa's clearance hitting the arm of Guimaraes is spotted by VAR, and as a result the scoreline remains 2-0!

BALL IN THE NET!! Tonali slips hall in behind on a diagonal run and the youngster hangs up a cross from the byline. It drops at the far post, where Barnes arrives to volley back across the face of goal, and although Konsa cuts it out, his attempted clearance ricochets off Guimaraes and into the back of the net. The goal is initially given and the players celebrate accordingly, but the referee's had a word in his ear...

Villa make a further change of their own in a bid to find a way back into the game late on, with McGinn replaced by Emiliano Buendia in the visitors' final throw of the dice.

Joe Willock also comes on, with Gordon withdrawn to a hero's welcome from the home fans after his goal got a dominant Newcastle performance up and running.

Matt Targett also enters the fray in place of Trippier, suggesting that Hall may now switch to right-back in the veteran's place.

It's Newcastle who make a triple change next, looking to shore things up, as Murphy is replaced on the right flank by Harvey Barnes.

BLOCKED!! Digne is picked out on the run by Torres' lofted forward pass and drills a first-time volley goalwards, but Schar sticks out a leg to block and send the strike into the side netting!

Newcastle (16) have lost more Premier League games on Boxing Day than any other sides in the competition’s history, but the visitors, with 15 defeats themselves, are well on course to join the Magpies as joint-holders of that unwanted record.

Tonali slips a throughball into Hall's path and the Newcastle left-back crosses first-time. It's across the face of goal yet again, forcing Konsa into another sliding intervention as he steers the ball behind for a corner.

Villa win another corner after Bailey's cross is blocked behind, but Dubravka meets this one with a much stronger hand than the previous to punch clear at the near post.

Bailey's first action is to swing a dangerous-looking cross into the middle from the near-side touchline, forcing Trippier to awkwardly volley it behind for a corner at the far post.

Murphy drills another low cross into the area with Isak arriving to tap home, but Konsa slides in front of him to send the ball behind as Villa survive yet another wave of attack.

OFF THE BAR!!! Martinez is caught out at the back again and gifts possession to the hosts, but after Joelinton's strike is blocked, Murphy pops up and rattles the crossbar with a flying volley, before Isak lashes the rebound well wide as Newcastle go within inches of a third goal!

Substitution Morgan Elliot Rogers Leon Patrick Bailey Butler

Substitution Boubacar Bernard Kamara Ross Barkley

BLOCKED!! The Magpies set-piece sees Burn and Joelinton both denied with close-range headers before the ball comes back out to Isak, and his first-time strike takes a deflection to skew wide with Martinez already committed!

Murphy's cutback for Guimaraes is struck first-time by the Brazilian, but Kamara gets in the way to block behind and it'll be another corner for Newcastle.

BALL IN THE NET!!! The flag denies Newcastle a third goal! McGinn is put in all sorts of trouble by Martinez's pass out of defence and soon loses the ball. It's played forward to Isak, and then Murphy, but after the latter's close-range shot is blocked, Isak comes back from an offside position to tap home, meaning the effort will not count!

Only Alan Shearer (27 in 2002) has now scored more goals in a calendar year for Newcastle in the Premier League than Isak's 24 in 2024, and the Sweden striker still has half an hour, plus another match against Manchester United, to try and break that record!

Newcastle haven't lost a Premier League game in which they scored first on the last 17 occasions (13 wins) – however, the last game they didn't win from 1-0 up was exactly a year ago, on Boxing Day 2023 against Nottingham Forest.

WIDE!! Trippier is picked out on the right by Guimaraes and hits a first-time cross into the middle, but the offside flag goes up to award a free-kick Villa's way just as Isak glances a near-post header into the side netting!

SAVED!!! It's one-way traffic at the moment as Guimaraes easily picks out Isak in the middle. He takes a touch before shooting on the turn, but his effort is straight into the gloves of Martinez!

OVER!!! Isak is released running into open space down the left again, but after his cross is blocked, Gordon recovers possession and finds Joelinton, who beats Cash in the area but can only send a woeful strike over the top from close range!

BLOCKED!!! McGinn's wide pass is cut out by Murphy on the edge of Villa's box, and he drives into the area before releasing a goalbound shot which Torres blocks behind for a corner!

CHANCE!!! Trippier's smart throughball releases Isak in behind Villa's left-side defence and he fires a low ball across the face of goal, but no-one in black and white can get there as Cash slides in to put it behind for a corner!

The first half couldn't have gone much better for Newcastle – or much worse for Villa – and as a result out live win probability tracker has the hosts sitting on a 88.4% chance of victory compared to Villa's 2.4%. Plenty of change can still happen though, as Watkins gets the second half underway!

Substitution Youri Marion A. Tielemans Oliver George Arthur Watkins

Gordon's opening goal in the second minute got the Magpies off to a flying start, and the winger hasn't looked back yet, having four touches in the box and creating a chance from 13 final-third passes – more than anyone else on the pitch. The England international has also put in five crosses and won two of his four duels, winning two free-kicks for Newcastle in the process.

A high-octane opening 45 minutes come to an end at St. James' Park, with the hosts Newcastle leading 1-0 over the 10 players of Aston Villa! The Magpies were in front within less than 90 seconds, as Gordon cut inside to curl a wonder-strike into the top corner. The hosts have been on top for much of the first half, producing 0.65 xG and seeing Joelinton, Schar and Tonali all test Martinez further, as well as Guimaraes having a goal ruled out for a borderline offside. Villa, meanwhile, managed just 0.16 xG at the other end through Kamara and Digne's on-target efforts, but their task of turning this game around became much, much harder when starting striker Duran was shown a straight red card for an apparent stamp on Schar. Newcastle are in control going into the second half, and it looks like their points to lose from here on in.

HALF-TIME: NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-0 ASTON VILLA.

Strikers Duran and Watkins have been Villa's most prolific players this season, each scoring seven times, but Unai Emery will be regretting not starting Isak – for the fourth leagie game in a row – given Duran's costly red card for that stamp on Schar.

We're into the first of four additional minutes to close out this highly entertaining first half at St. James'.

SAVED!!! What a stop from Martinez!! Guimaraes barges Tielemans off the ball on the edge of his own box before teeing up Tonali, whose first-time effort is somehow clawed onto the post and wide by the Villa keeper at full stretch!

BALL IN THE NET!!! Newcastle think they've got a second, but the offside flag denies them! Isak plays a one-two with Guimaraes before skipping past Digne and cutting back from the byline. His cross is swept home first-time by Guimaraes, but the flag has already been raised to penalise the Magpies frontman, despite replays showing that he was in fact onside!

Yellow Card Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira

WIDE!!! A Villa clearance only comes out as far as Schar, who steps beyond Tielemans with ease before curling a left-footed strike just wide of the far post!

Gordon escapes from Cash once again down the left and swings a cross into the middle, but Digne's present to head clear before Murphy can get there. The ball is fired straight back up into the area by Schar towards Isak, but he's penalised for a push on Torres before he can get a shot away.

Aston Villa have lost on Boxing Day in each of the last three seasons, conceding three goals in each defeat. Only once have they lost on the day in four consecutive league campaigns, doing so between 1932-33 and 1935-36, but with Duran sent off, they face an uphil battle to prevent history repeating itself here.

CHANCE!!! Tonali's first-time ball into the box is met by a rising Joelinton at the far post, but he's off-balance as he heads goalwards and Martinez is easily able to collect!

Murphy fizzes a cross into the area with numbers arriving, but Martinez springs off his line to claim and catch the ball for 10-man Villa.

Although Duran's excuses will be that he was simply trying to slow himself down, the studs landing directly on Schar with force left the referee with no choice but to send him off there.

SAVED!!! Trippier and Schar stand over the Newcastle free-kick, with the latter stepping up to strike a low effort beyond Villa's wall, before Martinez gets down to parry it away!

Red Card Jhon Jader Durán Palacio

A Newcastle free-kick from some 45 yards out comes to nothing thanks to pushing and shoving on tge edge of the box between Schar and Cash. The booked Villa man is penalised, meaning the hosts are given another set-piece opportunity – this time from well within shooting range.

Joelinton links up with Gordon down the left again and the winger crosses to the far post, where Torres can't quite deal with the threat and Digne arrives to head behind for a corner.

SAVED!! Isak does brilliantly to escape from McGinn down the left before finding Gordon in support, and his cross is met by a glancing Joelinton header which is saved and held by Martinez!

SAVED!!! Duran is clipped right on the edge of Newcastle's box to win a free-kick for the visitors, and after much delibration, Digne steps up to strike a curling effort goalwards, only to be denied by a diving Dubravka!

Yellow Card Kieran John Trippier

Tielemans' lofted switch to the right picks out McGinn, and his teasing cross back into the middle is fumbled by Dubravka. Before any Villa plays can pounce though, the chance is halted by the correct raising of the offside flag.

Newcastle are unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League home games against Aston Villa, winning nine of these since a 3-0 loss in April 2005. They’ve won the last three in a row by an aggregate score of 10-1, and are on course to make that four straight already.

Tonali's loose pass gifts possession to Villa and Onana's throughball releases Duran on the left. He drills a low ball across the face with numbers arriving, but no-one can get on the end of his cross to turn it home!

Trippier is picked out on the run with a cross-field pass from Guimaraes, but his drilled ball in from the byline is scythed away from danger by a sliding Torres before it can trouble Martinez.

WIDE!!! Gordon looks to play a one-two with Isak and the ball ricochets back to him on the edge of the box, with the Newcastle goalscorer rolling a first-time strike well wide of the target!

Yellow Card Matthew Stuart Cash

BLOCKED!! A Villa free-kick from the edge of the box is played down the line to Cash, who cuts back from the byline. Kamara races onto the loose ball unmarked and lashes it goalwards first-time, but Tonali gets in the way of it!

Anthony Gordon's goal after 90 seconds is the quickest in a Premier League game on Boxing Day since 2014, when both Harry Kane (57 secs) and Adam Johnson (30 secs) scored within the opening minute.

Villa turn possession over in Newcastle's half and Cash is sent in behind before crossing from the right, but Burn gets across at the near post to put the ball behind for a corner.

Gordon and Hall play the Newcastle corner short before the former whips a cross into the area, and Villa can't clear their lines as Guimaraes sends a looping far-post header back across the face of goal and wide.

Murphy tries an ambitious low strike from distance which he drags wide of the far post, but the ball took a nick off Torres on its way through and so it's a corner for the Magpies.

This is the first time ever Newcastle have scored inside the opening two minutes in back-to-back Premier League matches, after Isak's first-minute strike last time out!

Assist Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira

Iska kicks the game off for Newcastle, and this Boxing Day clash is up and running in the North East!

Despite these two both being in good form coming into this one, it’s the hosts Newcastle who are being heavily favoured in our live win probability tracker, with the Magpies sitting on a 48.0% chance of victory compared to Villa’s 28.1%. The visitors will be looking to change those odds though, as both teams head out onto the pitch at St. James’ Park!

Jhon Duran continued to stake his claim up front for Villa with the opening goal against City last time out, and once again starts up front in place of Ollie Watkins, supported out wide by skipper John McGinn and winning goalscorer Morgan Rogers.

Eddie Howe makes two changes from the Magpies side which thumped Ipswich 4-0 last time out, with Joelinton returning from suspension and Kieran Trippier alsp coming back into the side. Joe Willock and Tino Livramento drop out, with Alexander Isak spearheading the side following his hat-trick at Portman Road.

ASTON VILLA SUBS: Robin Olsen, Diego Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins, Jaden Philogene, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Leon Bailey.

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lewis Digne; Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana; John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers; Jhon Duran.

NEWCASTLE UNITED SUBS: Odysseas Vlachodimos, Harvey Barnes, Matt Targett, William Osula, Miguel Almiron, Lloyd Kelly, Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff, Lewis Miley.

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-3-3): Martin Dubravka; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall; Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton; Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon.

Villa, meanwhile, have a chance to move into the top four if they win and other results go their way, having defeated defending champions Manchester City 2-1 last time out. A loss to Nottingham Forest by the same scoreline in their last away game is their only defeat in the last four, following five matches without a win previously.

Just two points separate these two sides in the table ahead of this festive fixture, with Newcastle sat one place behind Villa in eighth after 17 matches. The Magpies will be confident of leapfrogging the visitors and potentially moving up to fifth, having won both their last two games 4-0 against Leicester and Ipswich respectively.

Hello, and welcome to live coverage of this Boxing Day Premier League fixture, as Newcastle United host Aston Villa at St. James’ Park.

Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…