STEVE BRUCE’S last memory from Villa Park was having a cabbage hurled at him – but tonight it was his Newcastle flops who played like one.
Goals from Conor Hourihane and Anwar El Ghazi ensure it was a miserable return to the stadium he used to call home.
Conor Hourihane took aim from just over 20 yards out to curl Aston Villa into the leadCredit: PA:Press Association
There was the smallest of gaps for Hourihane to get through – and he got thereCredit: Reuters
The Aston Villa midfielder was indebted to his sweet left foot for the openerCredit: PA:Press Association
Bruce was sacked in October 2018 – just days after an angry fan hurled the vegetable usually seen chopped on a plate than used as a weapon.
He went on to manage Sheffield Wednesday before walking out on them to take his dream job with his hometown club.
But he will have been far from impressed with a toothless and blundering performance as the Magpies had their wings well and truly clipped in Birmingham tonight.
Hourihane scored one goal and set up another after a couple of clever free-kicks that saw the hosts give themselves some breathing space above the relegation zone.
Anwar El Ghazi bundled home the second for Aston Villa who led 2-0 at half-timeCredit: PA:Press Association
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce had a miserable return to Villa ParkCredit: AFP
Ireland midfielder Hourihane put Villa ahead in the 32nd minute, tapping a dead ball to Jack Grealish and then unleashing a thumping shot which flummoxed goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
Villa soon earned another dangerous set piece and Hourihane again assumed responsibility, firing the ball into the heart of the penalty area where El Ghazi arrived to knock the ball into the roof of the net from close range in the 36th.
El Ghazi stuck the ball into the net again later in the half but his effort was ruled offside.
Newcastle’s only chance in an unambitious 45 minutes was a Federico Fernandez header which was well saved by Tom Heaton.
The visitors showed a little more imagination after the interval but rarely looked like getting back into the game and it proved to be an unhappy return to Villa Park for Bruce.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak in the league for Villa and took them up two places to 15th on 14 points from 13 games, four clear of the drop-zone.
Newcastle are 14th on 15.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
