Aston Villa 2-0 Newcastle United: Player ratings as Danny Ings marks home debut with wonder goal

Aston Villa responded to an opening weekend defeat to earn their first points of the new Premier League season with a 2-0 victory at home to Newcastle United on Saturday.

A boisterous start to the match from those in the crowd and on the pitch soon descended into an infuriatingly staccato first half that was heavy with rain but light on quality.

That is until Danny Ings produced an early contender for goal of the season with a blistering overhead kick on the cusp of half-time to open the scoring. Villa came out after the break playing with a fresh sense of calm and composure as Newcastle were restricted to infrequent bursts forward on the counter.

Approaching the hour mark, the two captains combined to give Villa a penalty as Mings had his header blocked by Jamaal Lascelles outstretched arm. Anwar El Ghazi coolly converted to make it 2-0.

Emiliano Martinez's blushes were spared after a tight offside VAR call cancelled out a Newcastle penalty Callum Wilson earned for beating the Villa keeper to a ball over the top with fifteen minutes to go before Villa saw out the contest.

ASTON VILLA

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Emiliano Martinez (GK) - 5/10 - Scarcely tested before misjudging race to bouncing ball with Wilson.

Matty Cash (RB) - 6/10 - Always eager to raid forward and provide width for Villa down the right hand side though lacked quality with his final pass.

Ezri Konsa (CB) - 6/10 - Reluctant to get touch-tight to the physically imposing Callum Wilson but ensured he never got a clear sight of goal.

Tyrone Mings (CB) - 7/10 - Surprisingly more influential in the opposition penalty area than his own but solid nonetheless.

Ashley Young (LB) - 7/10 - Back in front of the Villa Park faithful for the first time in more than a decade, Young was sloppy on the ball but used the full width and breadth of his experience at fullback (accrued after leaving Villa) for a composed display.

2. Midfielders

John McGinn (CM) - 6/10 - Pushing forward from midfield, McGinn's involvement waned in the second half.

Douglas Luiz (CM) - 6/10 - Dropping between the centre backs to try and dictate play, the tough-tackling Brazilian showed the sluggishness a summer of Copa America and Olympic football will bring.

Jacob Ramsey (CM) - 7/10 - Flittering around the fringes of the contest to begin with, Ramsey grew into the game, dropping deep and popping up around the edge of the area as he tried to bridge the gap between midfield and attack.

3. Forwards

Emi Buendia (RW) - 6/10 - Drifting in off the right, Villa's marquee signing peppered the first half with flashes of cool-headed quality but faded.

Danny Ings (ST) - 8/10 - His goal will invariably grab the headlines (see above) but Ings' willingness to drop deep and press the opposition proved the makings of a successful home debut.

Anwar El Ghazi (LW) - 7/10 - Worked doggedly off the ball in an attempt to replicate a fraction of the industry brought by the absence of Ollie Watkins and made it six successful Premier League penalties out of six.

4. Substitutes

Jaden Philogene-Bidace (RW) - N/A

Axel Tuanzebe (CM) - N/A

Wesley (ST) - N/A

NEWCASTLE

5. Goalkeeper & defenders

Freddie Woodman (GK) - 5/10 - In only his second Premier League appearance, Woodman could do little about Ings' wonder goal or the penalty. Infrequently troubled otherwise.

Fabian Schar (CB) - 5/10 - Only fleetingly demonstrated his superb distribution.

Jamaal Lascelles (CB) - 3/10 - In a groggy performance, Newcastle's captain was left sprawled on the turf as Mings beat him to a header from a straightforward long-throw ahead of the opening goal and conceded the penalty.

Federico Fernandez (CB) - 5/10 - As the only returning member of the back-three that began the Premier League campaign by shipping four goals against West Ham, Fernandez was sacrificed as Steve Bruce flung Joelinton on.

6. Midfielders & wingbacks

Jacob Murphy (RWB) - 4/10 - Guilty of a blatant dive in the first half, Murphy didn't provide much going forward and looked nervy at the back.

Joe Willock (CM) - 5/10 - Desperate to get into the opposition box at every opportunity but couldn't trouble Martinez.

Isaac Hayden (CM) - 6/10 - Lumbered with a great deal of responsibility as the only starting midfielder with a hint of defensive responsibility, sat behind almost a square of teammates through the middle. Forced off with injury at half-time.

Miguel Almiron (CM) - 4/10 - Struggled to exert any real influence on proceedings.

Matt Ritchie (LWB) - 5/10 - Swung in a steady stream of crosses which scarcely found their target.

7. Forwards

Allan Saint-Maximin (ST) - 5/10 - There is no question Saint-Maximin can beat one or two opponents but when he so regularly drops into his own half to begin ferreting forward he gives even himself too much to do.

Callum Wilson (ST) - 6/10 - Missed a gaping chance in the opening stages but battled gamely with Mings throughout.

8. Substitutes

Sean Longstaff (CM) - 5/10 - Increasingly outnumbered in midfield as Villa gained more and more control of proceedings.

Joelinton (ST) - N/A

Ryan Fraser (LW) - N/A