NEWCASTLE, England, Jan 25 (Reuters) - A brilliant first-half strike from Emiliano Buendia and a late goal by Ollie Watkins gave Aston Villa a 2-0 Premier League win at Newcastle United on Sunday that kept the pressure on second-placed Manchester City as the title race gathers pace.
Argentine Buendia's brilliant shot set Villa on course for victory, but Eddie Howe's Newcastle went toe to toe with them in a relentless battle for the three points.
Villa moved back level with City, who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 on Saturday, on 46 points, with the two sides four points behind leaders Arsenal, who host Manchester United later on Sunday.
"We knew how difficult they make it for opponents, we fought for every ball and had patience with the ball," Buendia told the BBC.
Buendia opened the scoring in the 19th minute, crowning a slick Villa attack swept from one side of the field to the other. The 29-year-old picked up the ball on the edge of the box and flashed a stunning right-foot shot past Nick Pope and into the net.
Roared on by the home crowd, Newcastle pressed forward strongly looking for an equaliser but it was Watkins who had the last word for Villa, ghosting in at the far post to head home in the 88th minute and seal the win.
Having battled to a 1-0 win over Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Thursday, Villa had little time to prepare for the Newcastle game.
"It's a tough schedule for us but it is what we want to do, play in European competitions and fight for these places in the Premier League so we have to adapt, fight and play and recover and go again," Buendia said.
"To open the game with that kind of goal helps the momentum of the game turn in our favour. I am really happy and we deserved the three points," he added.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
