Dean Smith hails Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins after win over Newcastle

The club record signing netted for the first time in 10 matches when he headed past Karl Darlow to open the scoring.

Bertrand Traore then scored his fourth goal in six matches as Villa recorded their first win since Boxing Day to go eighth in the Premier League.

Watkins had netted six in his first seven top flight matches before a frustrating period without a goal but Smith never had any doubts he would return to scoring ways.

He said: “I had no doubts. The way Ollie works, in training and in games, he endears himself to the rest of the team.

“With the quality he has got he is always going to score goals. He has just been through a patch where he has hit the crossbar, hit the post and the goalkeeper has made really good saves.

“VAR has not done its job at times as well. But we have not doubted his quality and his performances. The goal was always going to come.”

Villa brought off Jack Grealish late on and Smith, who watched from the stands as he served a one-match touchline ban, later revealed the skipper had been suffering with a tight hamstring during the week.

He said: “Jack didn’t do an awful lot in training. He wasn’t happy I brought him off with five minutes to go but it was game over.

“He was on four yellows as well and there is always the risk of him getting kicked.

“In the first half I thought we were good. In the second half I thought we overplayed a bit and tried to run down the clock.

“We got a little bit sloppy but for a couple of poor passes as well we could have scored more.

“We have been through a tough patch with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City. We have taken just one point from those games but performed well and been a bit unlucky. It was important we got back to Villa Park and got a result.”