Newcastle Held By 10-Man Villa In Opening Day Fixture

Newcastle failed to score without wantaway striker Alexander Isak as they were held by 10-man Aston Villa.

Villa played the final 24 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men after Ezri Konsa was dismissed but with Isak missing as he tried to force a move to Liverpool, the Magpies were unable to find a winner.

Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon wasted their best chances during a dominant first half.

Debutant Marco Bizot made a fine save to deny new £55m winger Elanga inside three minutes before Gordon planted a free header over.

The forward, playing centrally in place of Isak, also tested Bizot as the Magpies failed to make their superiority count.

Passive Villa failed to have a shot in the first half, the first home team to suffer that fate in a Premier League game since Fulham, against Manchester City in May 2024 but they emerged after the break with renewed vigour

Boubacar Kamara headed straight at Nick Pope while Ollie Watkins shot straight at the goalkeeper but Konsa’s red card for pulling back Gordon as he ran clear left the hosts to focus on clinging on to a point.