The cheeky Aston Villa touchline tactic deployed to stitch up Newcastle United

Things don’t get much better than that, do they?

Newcastle United blitzed Premier League rivals Aston Villa 5-1 at St James’ Park on the opening day of the season - and the truth be told, it was five going on seven or eight.

Goals from Sandro Tonali, Alexander Isak (2), Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes with assists for Anthony Gordon and substitute Barnes, vindicated almost every big call made by Eddie Howe, even though his decision to start Tonali and also Gordon raised some (mild) eyebrows.

The goals, the chances and the remarkable game that unfolded was hard to miss, but here’s a few key moments, battles and more that might have slipped your attention.

Tonali has the game on strings

It takes a very special player to do what Tonali did on debut, in a new league, new country, with players he only met around five weeks ago. St James’ Park, in the modern era, has seen very few first shows like it.

It was hard not to miss his influence, from the goal to the pitch-opening passes but it was his second-half game management that may not have been noticed on first watch.

The way he slowed the game down, with ease, then used his football brain to speed it back up again, just when Newcastle needed it. You can see from the cut of his jib, he’s the type of quality, big game player rarely seen round these parts.

It’s hard not to get carried away, but as Howe reiterated after the game, it is early days.

Sven Botman’s Moussa Diaby conundrum

The Dutchman’s performance was near flawless, bar a late slip, but he will rarely be as challenged as he was with the movement, and positioning of Villa new boy Moussa Diaby.

The French international played as a second striker off Ollie Watkins. And while Fabian Schar had a solid afternoon pocketing Watkins, this was a real mental battle for Botman.

For 45 minutes Diaby was the best player on the park, dropping into spaces no midfielder was covering, and where Botman was loathe to stray into.

In the end, though, he stuck to his task well - and after a personnel switch at half-time, Diaby’s influence, without Leon Bailey outside him, waned, somewhat.

Two goals and Konsa wanted Isak’s shirt!

Isak may have left the pitch with two goals to his name, but barely had a shirt thanks to Ezri Konsa, who did his best to haul it off the Swede’s back in his scoring of his second and United’s third.

The finish, a deft chip, was up there with one of the best you’ll see all season. But we’ve come to expect that from the Magpies’ record signing.

Jacob Murphy - Newcastle United’s No.1 cheerleader

We’ve become accustomed to Murphy playing the fool when it comes to cup lifts and pushing the boundaries at every opportunity. He got some minutes off the bench against Villa, but it was his off-the-field stuff that again showed how valuable a squad member he really is.

Every time Murphy was sent to run the line of the pitch along the Milburn down to the Leazes, the winger was kicking every ball on the park. Bouncing for every imaginary header, flinching with every challenges and barking out encouragement to any black and white shirt that came his way.

He’s really found himself a place in this squad. A top class attitude and Newcastle through and through.

The cheeky Villa touchline tactic that had ZERO impact

The game was less than 10 minutes old when one of the Villa coaching staff was sent to get in the ear of the fourth official on the day.

Through cupped palms, covering what was exactly said the Villa tracksuited member of staff was seen to nod the head in the direction of Jason Tindall and Eddie Howe. They wanted to ensure no Premier League rule - the bizarre new one about only one member of staff being in the technical area at one time - was broken by the United No.1 and No.2.

That pressure, which I assume the rule is meant to prevent, didn’t work. Howe and Tindall managed the situation brilliantly, dovetailing perfectly, much like they have since the day they walked through the door.

This won’t be the first or the last time someone tries to get the United men a card.