Full time at St James Park where a draw seems like a fair result, both sides looking void of ideas, Villa perhaps the better sides but failed to create much.

Claudio Cacapa comes on for Geremi and makes a little bit of history by becoming the 1,000th player to pull on a black and white shirt.

Geremi recieves the ball back from his own throw and smashes it towards goal but the deflection favour Villa as it bounces away from goal.

Reo-Coker is booked after throwing the ball away when a decision went against his team.

Barry floats a great pass over the top for Petrov who makes the pass but only hits his shot into the ground and straight to Harper.

Geremi launches a long throw into the penalty area and finds Ameobie but the striker just heads it down and into Carson's hands.

Barry picks out Young with a great pass but Young's cross defelects off Rozenhal, lofting up into the air where Barry heads it again but is adjudged to have fouled Carr in the process.

Mark Viduka is brought off and on comes Shola Ameobi.

Moore lays off the ball for Barry just outside the penalty area where the Villa captain spoons the ball well wide of the goal with his effort.

N'Zogbia floats a freekick in from near the halfway line for Taylor but the defender can only knock the ball into Carson's hands.

Gardner is the first name to go into the referee's book after bringing down Millner.

John Carew comes off and is replaced by Luke Moore

Young tries his luck from long range but like Smith is unsuccessful, slicing it wide of Harper's left hand post.

Smith tries an ambitious effort on the volley from 30 yards out but its way over the bar and into the crowd behind the goal.

A huge roar goes up from the Geordie supporters as Michael Own comes on for Obafemi Martins

Millner shows some great footwork to by-pass Gardner before chipping a cross in but its too high for Martins and perhaps a pass on the floor would have been better.

Geremi swings in another corner but again Villa deal with a launch a counter-attack which results in Harper pulling out a great save to deny a low, curling Reo-Coker shot.

Gardner tries to pick out Carew with a deep cross but its easily cut out by Taylor who lumps it away from danger.

Barry swings in the corner which Harper comes to punch through a crowd of players and does so well knocking it to Martins.

Reo=Coker carries the ball and then unleashes a shot which is blocked by Smith, turning it behind for a Villa corner.

Petrov picks out Carew with a neat chipped pass but the Villa striker slices his volley and ends up some how sending it behind himself and out for a throw-in, woeful effort.

Geremi floats in a free kick from wide on the left but its too high for anyone and goes out of play for a goal kick.

Newcastle get the second half underway hoping to find a way through the so far solid Villa defence.

A frantic first half is drawn to a close with both sides having their chances to score, Laursen and Agbonlahor going close for the visitors. Rozenhal having the best of Newcastles chances.

The fourth official indicates there will be one minuted of added on time.

The fourth official indicates there will be one minuted of added on time.

Barry floats in a cross from the right, sending it towards goal but its headed away by Butt as again neither side really threaten with a free kick.

Geremi's corner is again dealt with by the Villa defence in a continuing theme of this first half.

Millner knocks in the cross looking for Viduka but Mellberg manages to knock it behind for a corner.

Geremi' takes the corner and it eventually drops to Rozenhal who hits a bullet of a shot, forcging Carson intto a great flying save away to his left.

Geremi picks out Viduka with a deep freekick and finds Viduka but the big Aussie is blocked off by Laursen who heads the ball down and over his own bar.

Agbonlahor goes on a great run and gets lucky, winning the ball back inside the box but instead of squaring it for Reo-Coker the England Under21 international shoots and drags it wide.

Millner does well to cut the ball back to Smith just inside the area, but the former Manchester United players efoort is weak and blocked by Gardner.

The cheers echo around St James Park as Michael Owen warms up on the sidelines, the Toon fans would love to see him play some part today

Barry whips in a freekick for Villa sending it towards the six yard box but unfortunatly for the visitors Rozenhal intercepts and heads it away.

Geremi takes the corner for Newcastle which is headed away by Carew but only as far as Millner who strikes it on the volley sending it just over the bar.

Millner gets awat from Bouma and delivers a nice ball across the face of goal where Viduka tries the spectacular bicycle kick but misses the ball and Villa come away from it.

N'Zogbia shows some quick feet to go around Petrov and carry on his run where he had two Newcastle players inside him but chose to hit a very weak shot which Laursen deals with.

Young floats in a freekick towards Barry but the pass has too much weight on it for the Villa captain to control and it hits Barry and bounces away for a goalk kick.

Millner does well to knock the ball down for Viduka from a free kick but there is just too much on the knock down for the Australian forward and Villa escape.

Butt plays a nice looking ball, picking out the run of Millner, the forward nearly reaching the ball but just can't quite stretch far enough as Carson gathers on the edge of his penalty area.

Barry puts in a great corner which Laursen powers at goalwith a header but fortunatly for Harper it hits him straight in the chest, the goalkeeper not knowing alot about the attempt or save.

Carew plods forward before unleashing an unexpected shot which nearly caught Harper out, the goalkeepeer pushing the ball over the bar.

Geremi puts in a nice cross for Viduka to attack but Carson comes out well to punch and gets it clear.

Gardner whips in a cross from wide on the right and finds Carew who gets his head to the ball but can't direct it on target.

Both sides probing each others defence's as they look for an early break through.

Newcastle up and running straight away winning a corner which Charles N'Zogbia whips in but Petrov deals with it knocking it upfield.

Referee Howard Webb gets the game underway here at St James park with Aston Villa kicking-off

Aston Villa XI: Carson, Gardner, Mellberg, Laursen, Bouma, Young, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Agbonlahor, Carew

Aston Villa give Scott Carson his debut in goal as Stuart Taylor drops to the bench in the visitors only change. Gardner, Carew and Laursen all recover from knocks but Patrick Berger is out.

Newcastle XI: Harper, Carr, Rozehnal, Taylor, N'Zogbia, Smith, Butt, Geremi, Martins, Viduka, Milner

Newcastle welcome back Michael Owen who is on the bench . But Sam Allardyce is still without Given, Duff, Barton and Babayaro for his first home game in charge of the Toon.