Aston Villa 4 Newcastle United 1:Newcastle United fans could not have imagined it would take Kevin Keegan less than a month to rekindle memories of his first spell in charge at St James' Park.
That earlier period is synonymous with champagne football and title challenges but it is easy to forget there was a survival fight before the renaissance.
Keegan, who is still without a victory since replacing Sam Allardyce, leaving Newcastle only six points clear of the bottom three, spoke of the importance of reaching the 40-point mark while Damien Duff offered a sobering reminder of how the mighty can fall.
"When I was at Blackburn (in 1999) it was said that they were too good to go down and I went down with them so we are in a fight," admitted the Newcastle winger.
Newcastle must be thankful for the break their early FA Cup exit provides. Keegan will resist the temptation to take his players away before Manchester United arrive on Saturday week and instead seek sanctuary at the club's training ground.
"There are things we can do that will improve us as a Premiership side," said Keegan, whose team had led here following Michael Owen's well-taken near-post header.
"One of those things I can help with is the spirit. It's difficult sometimes when the players have had a few blows, they can start to feel sorry for themselves, can be a bit hard on themselves and can think, 'Oh not again'. I'd like to think myself and all the staff can help them."
It will take more than an arm around the shoulder. Newcastle's shortcomings are painfully obvious, with their inability to defend brutally exposed by a Villa side inspired by John Carew. The Norwegian seemed more interested in keeping his hands warm in the first half but the gloves came off in more ways than one after the break as he took advantage of the visitors' brittle rearguard to become the first Villa player to score a hat-trick at home since Savo Milosevic in 1995.
"I believe John's capable of that performance on a more consistent basis," said Villa manager Martin O'Neill.
Carew's opening goal arrived when he glanced home Ashley Young's corner after Duff neglected his duties on the back post. His second followed a game of pin-ball in the Newcastle area and the third was dispatched from the spot after the error-prone Stephen Carr needlessly handled.
Carr had contributed to Villa's first goal, when he conceded possession before Wilfred Bouma's 18-yard drive was deflected past Shay Given, who suffered a groin injury as he slipped.
- Guardian Service
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