LONDON: Aston Villa beat Newcastle United in the Premier League to ruin Steve Bruce’s return to Villa Park.
Conor Hourihane’s curled free-kick gave Villa the lead before his enticing set-piece set up Anwar El Ghazi to finish from close range four minutes later.
Bruce, sacked as Villa boss in October 2018, saw his side denied by goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who saved from Federico Fernandez and Allan Saint-Maximin.
The win takes Villa up to 15th place.
Had Newcastle won this game, it would have moved up to ninth, but the defeat keeps them 14th, one point ahead of Villa.
(Agencies)
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