*Shearer sent off in 100th match*

Villa snatched the points having been second best most of the game but the talking point surrounded referee Uriah Rennie, who booked seven players and controversially sent off Newcastle and England skipper Alan Shearer late in the second half. It is the first time in his career that the England captain has been dismissed and this was his 100th appearance for Newcastle.

After losing the FA Cup final and finishing 13th in successive seasons, Newcastle fans were expecting their underachieving Magpies to raise the roof this season, but the club have taken them literally at their word: half the stadium - including the press box and the visitors’ end - will be exposed to the elements until January at the earliest as part of the £40 milion expansion of St James’ Park’s to a capacity of 51,900. The building work has not been at the expense of team building. Although manager Ruud Gullit has sold or released 12 professionals in the close season, raising £11 million - assuming Nicos Dabizas’ projected move to Leicester is completed next week - he has also brought in £17 million worth of new talent. Elena Marcelino, Alain Goma, Franck Dumas all started here, Kieron Dyer was on the bench after suffering a slight hamstring strain.

Despite six of yesterday’s starting eleven having been bought under Kevin Keegan or Kenny Dalglish, Gullit knows this is now his team. The pressure is also on Aston Villa boss John Gregory to match the progress made last season, although his close season spending is somewhat more modest than Gullit’s. He handed debuts to £4.5 million capture from Coventry George Boateng and ex-Liverpool goalkeeper David James.

Newcastle enjoyed the best of a scrappy first period, which somehow witnessed five yellow cards. Goma hit the bar with a header from Serrant’s cross in their most significant attack, though the approach play, especially from Nolberto Solano, was occasionally thrilling. Dyer was introduced at half time for Marcelino, and his presence immediately galvanised Newcastle. Ketsbaia drew two brilliant saves from James before Dyer himself shot over from the Georgian’s cut-back. But the failure to score allowed Villa back in the game.

But then controversy struck. Shearer and Colin Calderwood challenged for the ball. With the defender on the ground, referee Rennie, brandished a red card at Shearer, to the astonishment of even Villa players. With the boos still ringing around the ground, Mark Delaney found Joachim free in the box and his stooped header crept in.