Villa grabbed a valuable win in their battle to avoid the drop despite some horrendous decisions by the referee and Houllier making a bizzarre switch in the final minutes.
Villa started the stronger of the sides, as Newcastle couldn't get out of their own half in the early going. The Villa fans roared sparking their team, urging them forward.
Newcastle began to move the ball well, especially going down the left as Gutierrez and Jose-Enrique looked sharp. But, like Villa, they rarely threatened the goal.
Newcastle should have done better when Dunne, inexplicably left Ranger, who he had covered and went back into his regular position, leaving the youngster all alone, while he covered no-one. The pass to Ranger was a little slow and Dunne made amends by tackling the forward.
Villa began getting control of the midfield, with Petrov bossing everything and Newcastle's long spells of possession, easily broken up, time and again.
Villa snatched the lead when Barton upended Ashley Young. He whipped in his first decent dead ball kick in about 4 games, James Collins headed perfectly home.
Villa were 2 up before half-time, or should have been, Bent's goal disallowed, despite replays showing him being played onside.
The second half started the same as the first with Newcastle unable to get out of their own half. Villa were getting pressure without really bothering Harper in the Newcastle goal.
Villa were again denied by the ref when Taylor shoved Darren Bent off the ball in the area as the former Sunderland man was through. Moments later Young surprised Harper with a low shot, that he managed to turn around the post for a goal kick!!!! Another strange decision from the man in the middle.
Harper managed to get a palm on a cross that was lucky not to hit 1 of 4 players around the goalmouth and go in, and he palmed away another cross, with Villans lined up to score.
Friedel did well at the other end making a couple of very good saves to keep the score at 1-0.
Houllier decided that Mackoun should come off and Reo-Coker replaced him. It was the right decision as it was not a great game for the Cameroon international. The same can be said for the second sub, Cuellar for Walker who was being caught in possession more and more as the match wore on.
But, the 3rd sub was at least a head scratcher at most a poor decision. Houllier decided that Pires coming on for Agbonlahor was going to make Villa stronger. Nevermind that Young had played like he'd been carrying a knock since the 5th minute and Albrighton was itching to come on and run at a very overworked Newcatle defence.
Newcastle took it as an invite to go forward and grab an equaliser. One time Pires took the ball down the field in stoppage time. First he looked to cross to Bent, when everyone wanted him to go to the corner flag, but then Pires seemed to run out of steam and just gave away a throw in!!!
Next, he was slow to react to a pass, He lost possession and Cuellar was forced to take a yellow card for the team.
Friedel came to the rescue with a great stop with his foot and Villa gratefully cleared and moments later the celebrations started.
Man of the match. Joey Barton. No, I'm kidding. It was really Stan the man Petrov.