ASTON VILLA 1
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
Barcalys Premier League
Villa Park
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Kick-off 4pm

Craig Hope reports from Villa Park ...

MATCH SUMMARY

NEWCASTLE United have been relegated from the Premier League after going down to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

The only goal of the game came on 38 minutes when Gareth Barry's 30-yard strike was cruelly deflected beyond Steve Harper off the boot of Damien Duff.

Before that the Geordies had gone close to opening when Steven Taylor saw a header cleared from the line and Oba Martins flashed a volley over the crossbar.

A late goal would've saved Alan Shearer's men with Hull City beaten at home to Manchester United but the closest they came was a Jose Enrique cross which zipped through the six-yard box without any black-and-white takers.

And the visitors had David Edgar sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

SECOND-HALF UPDATES (click refresh for latest)

And Newcastle United are relegated.

90+3min - NEWCASTLE RED CARD: David Edgar is shown a second yellow card as he trips Ashley Young on the left flank - no complaints.

90+1min - Ameobi, with his back to goal on the penalty spot, does well to hook a volley towards the target but it zips over Brad Friedel's crossbar.

There will be four minutes added time.

89min - One last change sees John Carew replaced by Steve Sidwell. Time is running out for Alan Shearer's men.

87min - Ameobi cuts inside Cuellar but his 20-yard shot is always rising over the crossbar.

86min - Jose Enrique's teasing low centre bounces agonisingly across goal with no black-and-white takers - all it needed was a boot!

85min - Another change for Villa with Reo-Coker replacing Petrov.

84min - Other scores are still going United's way and all they need is a goal to escape the drop zone.

82min - David Edgar is booked as he loses possession on the right before grappling Ashley Young to the ground.

77min - United survive a penalty-box scare as Agbonlahor's centre, on a plate for Carew, is somehow miss-hit by the unmarked Norwegian just six yards from goal with the Magpies scrambling the ball to safety - what a let-off!

75min - Emile Heskey replaces Craig Gardner for Villa and United's final sub sees Shola Ameobi come on for Mark Viduka.

74min - Enrique looks to release Martins with a forward chip but the ball skids away from the Nigerian and into the arms of a relieved Bard Friedel.

70min - But United are extremely lucky not to find themselves trailing by two after Gareth Barry robs Nicky Butt on the edge of the area ony for the opposing captain to guide his shot wide of Harper's goal with just the United stopper to beat.

69min - Ashley Young scampers away down the left and flashes a low ball across goal which thankfully runs away for a goal kick.

66min - Michael Owen enters the fray with Kevin Nolan making way  -  can the skipper get the goal to save the Geordies?

64min - Coloccini tracks Agbonlahor as he gets away in the inside right channel, the Argetine goes shoulder-to-shoulder and stands strong to toe away for a corner. Milner centres and when the ball drops it's Nolan who volleys away.

63min - The Magpies are being willed forward by the 3,000-strong Toon Army and win a corner on the right. But, when Guthrie's ball enters the mix, it is a Villa head which climbs to power clear.

61min - Oba Martins refuses to give up on Edgar's clipped ball downfield and the Nigerian almost reaps the reward as Davies miscontrols only to recover in the nick of time before hacking clear.

57min - Jose Enrique replaces Peter Lovenkrands with Damien Duff moving up into a wide left position.

55min - Milner skids a low drive the wrong side of the upright from 20 yards - United need to steady the ship.

53min - United are on the ropes and Alan Shearer looks livid on the touchline as Agbonlahor is afforded far too much time on the left before cutting infield, only a poor cross from the Villa forward denying Carew what would've been a clear header on goal.

50min - Edgar turns Gardner's deep centre away for a corner. Young's in-swinger is punched clear of danger by Steve Harper - that was a testing delivery for the Toon stopper with the ball dropping right underneath his crossbar.

49min - Guthrie does well to sieze possession on halfway, he skips by Petrov but the final ball is too heavy and runs away from Oba Martins who was looking to get in behind Cuellar.

46min - Chelsea are one-nil up at Sunderland meaning all four teams in the relegation fight are now losing.

United have 45 minutes to save their Premier League lives as Villa get the second period underway.

FIRST-HALF ACTION

45+1min - The last action of the opening period sees Oba Martins glance Nicky Butt's free-kick wide of the Villa goal from 10 yards out. Still the Geordie fans are in good voice as they applaud their team from the field.

45min - Martins does well to work space on the right and then deliver a near-post cross which is plucked from the head of Danny Guthrie by Brad Friedel.

41min - The Magpies are on the back foot and Carew's low cross is turned inches wide of Harper's frame by the heel of Petrov - United need to see this through to half-time.

40min - As it stands United are back in the bottom three - they need a goal to climb out.

38min - ASTON VILLA GOAL (1-0): GARETH BARRY collects possession 25 yards out, the Villa skipper lines up a low drive which cannons off the out-stretched leg of Damien Duff and spins past a wrong-footed Steve Harper and into the bottom corner - devasting for United.

37min - West Ham have scored against Middlesbrough.

34min - Steven Taylor is the first man in the book as he tugs Agbonlahor to the turf after the Villa man had sprung the wrong side of the United defender 30 yards from goal. Milner takes aim from the resultant free-kick but Harper is equal to his low curler and saves.

32min - Nolan swaps passes with Lovenkrands and forces his way into the Villa danger zone, Milner tracks the midfielder's forward surge and slides to nick the return pass away for a corner. Duff centres from the flag-kick but the delivery fails to beat the first man.

29min - Milner drives forward and switches the ball onto his right foot but Coloccini steps out from the defence to bravely block the midfielder's 25-yard strike.

28min -  The game has settled down after a lively opening with the Toon Army now in full voice following news of Man Utd's opener.

25min - Man Utd have scored at Hull meaning that Newcastle United are out of the relegation zone!

20min - Craig Gardner unleashes a thunderous drive from the edge of the area which is rising towards Steve Harper's top corner until the Toon stopper extends an arm to brush over the bar - what a save! And Harps comes to claim Barry's corner to calm United nerves.

17min - Nolan is teed up by Martins 25 yards out but the midfielder's low effort lacks venom and is easily kept out by Friedel.

14min - United should be in front as again they open up the Villa backline. This time it's Viduka who hooks in Martins but the Nigerian sends a first-time volley zipping over the crossbar from 12 yards - he should have hit the target.

11min - But still the danger is not over and United retrieve possession, Lovenkrands digs out a cross from the right and Steven Taylor steers a header goalwards only for Carlos Cuellar to swipe clear from the goal-line - that was so close!

10min - A prolonged spell of United pressure ends with Damien Duff's deflected 20-yard shot spilling through the hands of Friedel with the ball trickling agonisingly wide of the upright. Guthrie's flag kick is headed clear by Davies.

4min - Villa make a mess of a free-kick in a promising position on the right as Barry cuts back to Milner who crosses aimlessley with the ball running away for a goal kick.

3min - Gareth Barry has time to cross from the left and his flighted centre is headed onto the roof of the net by Carew from six yards out - to be fair Steve Harper looked to have it covered.

2min - Fabricio Coloccini passes an early test up against Agbonlahor as the jet-heeled Villa forward looked to burst onto a long ball downfield. The Argentine macthes his opponent stride for stride before winning a free-kick inside the area for a blatant shove.

The sun is beating down on what is a glorious Villa Park playing surface as Oba Martins and Kevin Nolan get us started with United attacking the Holte End.

TEAM NEWS

ALAN Shearer is forced to reshuffle his back four with Habib Beye (hamstring) and Sebastien Bassong (suspended) missing out on the relegation decider at Villa Park.

That means a recall for David Edgar and Fabricio Coloccini with the pair joining Steven Taylor and Damien Duff in a new-look backline in front of Steve Harper.

Peter Lovenkrands replaces Jonas Gutierrez in midfield while skipper Michael Owen (groin) has passed a fitness test and takes his place on the bench.

TEAMS

AVFC: Brad Friedel, James Milner, Nicky Shorey, Curtis Davies, Carlos Cuellar, Gareth Barry, Craig Gardener, Stilyan Petrov, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, John Carew
Subs: Steve Sidwell, Nathan Delfouneso, Zat Knight, Emile Heskey, Nigel Reo-Coker, Brad Guzan, Marc Albrighton

NUFC: Steve Harper, David Edgar, Damien Duff, Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt (c), Kevin Nolan, Danny Guthrie, Jonas Gutierrez, Oba Martins, Mark Viduka
Subs: Tim Krul, Ryan Taylor, Shola Ameobi, Michael Owen, Alan Smith, Jose Enrique, Jonas Gutierrez

Referee: Chris Foy
Attendance: 42, 585