Papiss Cisse has scored eleven times for Newcastle this season despite injuries
A little under six years ago, supporters mocked their Newcastle counterparts as Alan Shearer oversaw the shambolic slide into the Championship sealed by a final day of the season defeat at Villa Park.
Tim Sherwood's charges are not past the point of no return just yet, but a seventh consecutive league defeat for a team that has simply forgotten how to score puts their 27-year top flight tenure under increasing doubt.
It was little surprise that home fans took the opportunity to return the favour by goading those in the away end as to the impending doom facing their side unless new broom Sherwood can sweep away the doubts in front of goal.
Not that Newcastle, themselves underwhelming for long periods, were in a position to gloat, despite cementing their place in mid-table and all but guaranteeing their Premier League status for another season with almost three months of the campaign to play.
John Carver's side almost matched Villa's ineptitude in front of goal - the visitors have not scored on the road for almost 10 hours - but for one moment of inspiration from Papiss Cisse, who profited from a mistake by Jores Okore to poke home Daryl Janmaat's cross before half-time.
Managers reaction following Newcastle victory over Villa [AMBIENT]
If he's got screws in his knee and continues to score at this rate, I'll settle for that
John Carver
It was the Senegal international's 11th goal of the season, a prolific strike-rate - he has started just nine games this season -made all the more impressive by the fact he is virtually playing on one leg, given persistent knee problems.
"If he's got screws in his knee and continues to score at this rate, I'll settle for that," said Carver.
Sherwood's side remain second-bottom, in the relegation zone on goal difference, and he said: "If you look through the whole squad then no-one is really playing to their maximum. You look at Christian because he was the headline striker and everyone wanted him. He just needs a goal."
He has scored only three all season, his last in the Premier League more than two months ago.
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