Something is stirring inside St James' Park. Make no mistake about it. This was not a pretty victory but, crucially, Newcastle United found a way to win against Aston Villa.
It was a gritty performance, typified by debutant Dan Burn, who was rightly named man of the match after a flawless display at the back in the 1-0 win. However, every player, to a man, dug in as the supporters carried Eddie Howe's side over the line once more.
It was another new arrival, Kieran Trippier, who settled this contest with another trademark free-kick in the 35th minute before the England international later hobbled off with a foot injury.
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Staff, supporters and team-mates alike will be desperately hoping that injury is not a serious one as Trippier, who captained the side in Jamaal Lascelles' absence, has helped inspire a remarkable turnaround in recent weeks.
In truth, Newcastle would not have won this game just a few weeks ago. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Magpies might even have lost it.
The statistics tell their own story. Newcastle have won three on the bounce in the Premier League for the first time since 2018. The Magpies have claimed more points (11) in their last five games than they did in their previous 18. Perhaps, most strikingly, Howe's once leaky side have only conceded three goals during this mini unbeaten run.
Was it any wonder that Primal Scream hit 'Movin' on Up' crackled out of the public address system at full-time? Newcastle are now four points clear of the relegation zone.
LISTEN: INSTANT REACTION - NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-0 ASTON VILLA
However, far from basking in another win, you can bet Howe is already thinking about Saturday's trip to the London Stadium to take on West Ham and what his side could have done better against Villa.
Indeed, this game took time to burst into life as both teams struggled to find their rhythm, and Steven Gerrard quickly cut a frustrated figure on the touchline. At one point, before the half-hour mark, the Villa boss screamed and turned on his heels after his sluggish side went backwards.
Newcastle, in contrast, started to grow into the contest - the Magpies were solid out of possession and pressed well - and Howe's side were soon in front.
Allan Saint-Maximin's deft lay-off fell nicely for Joe Willock, who had Villa's defenders back peddling 30 yards from goal as he carried the ball forward.
Willock looked to cut inside Callum Chambers, his former Arsenal team-mate, and the defender panicked and brought him down in a dangerous position.
Referee Craig Pawson took a second before pointing to the spot after Willock fell inside the area. However, a VAR check established that the initial contact was made just outside the box so the decision was overturned and Newcastle were instead awarded a free-kick in the 35th minute.
Rather than that necessarily being a setback, Newcastle supporters roared in defiance and started to chant 'Kieran Trippier, over the wall' as the England international grabbed the ball.
As bizarre as it sounds, with Trippier in the side, Newcastle carry nearly as much of a threat from a free-kick from this sort of distance as they would have if the penalty had been given.
Trippier duly blasted the ball through Villa's wall as the Leazes End got the same view that the Gallowgate enjoyed on Tuesday night: the right-back wheeling away in delight after scoring.
It was not as pure a strike as the free-kick against Everton - Emi Buendia's deflection threw goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after the attacker raised his right knee - but it was yet another example of the new dimension Trippier has given Newcastle.
That goal appeared to jolt Villa a little and Gerrard's side soon went close from a set-piece of their own before half-time.
A short corner routine eventually led to Philippe Coutinho picking out the unmarked John McGinn on the edge of the area and the midfielder's effort was deflected narrowly wide by Fabian Schar.
Newcastle had previously thrown away 21 points from winning positions and the vocal Trippier was soon telling his team-mates to 'keep their heads' before half-time to ensure they stayed in front at the break. They certainly listened.
However, although Newcastle managed to hang on until half-time, the Magpies lost Trippier in the 48th minute to a worrying foot injury - just a short while after Javier Manquillo limped off with an ankle issue on the opposite flank.
Having had to make two enforced changes at the back before the game - Burn and Manquillo came in for Lascelles and Matt Targett - Howe was forced to throw on Paul Dummett and Emil Krafth.
Fabian Schar was ultimately the only surviving defender from the win against Everton yet, to their credit, resilient Newcastle did not crumble.
As Villa pored forward, a scrappy game started to become more open and Newcastle had a decent opportunity to double their advantage in the 58th minute.
Fraser's corner was kept alive by Krafth, who calmly passed the ball to Saint-Maximin out on the left-hand side. The Frenchman quickly moved through the gears, weaving past two Villa defenders, before his deflected effort from 25 yards went narrowly wide.
In a stop-start game of few chances, it felt like a big moment in the second half and, just a couple of minutes later, Villa thought they had equalised.
Philippe Coutinho's clever back heel took Joe Willock and Krafth out of the game before Lucas Digne drilled the ball across goal.
Coutinho's first-time effort was then blocked by Schar but the ball looped in the air and fell to Ollie Watkins, who headed home at the back post.
Although Pawson gave the goal, another of the referee's big decisions was overruled by VAR after Watkins was flagged narrowly offside.
That was the cue for Howe to switch to a back five as Krafth moved inside to right-sided centre-back and Fraser dropped in at right wing-back.
While Newcastle went into survival mode a little earlier than Howe would have liked, crucially, the Magpies managed to hang on and close the game out to claim a priceless win.
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