Villa travel to the Etihad full of confidence after a fifth consecutive Premier League win.

Unai Emery's men bounced back from their Champions League quarter-final elimination to Paris Saint-Germain by ending Newcastle's six-game winning run in style.

Ollie Watkins took less than a minute to justify Emery's decision to recall him in the place of Marcus Rashford with a deflected opener.

Fabian Schar hit back to equalise for Newcastle, who were without manager Eddie Howe for the third consecutive game to pneumonia.

Watkins teed up Ian Maatsen to coolly restore Villa's lead and kick off a three-goal blitz in 11 minutes just after the hour mark.

Dan Burn turned Jacob Ramsey's cross into his own net before Amadou Onana fired into the top corner.

Villa's victory means they close to within just two points of third-placed Newcastle with five games to go.