HAVING pointed out only the other day that Newcastle United are too emotional a club, dictated to by a demanding support, Graeme Souness cannot expect to remain their manager for much longer. Such a cacophony of boos greeted the final whistle here that even if the chairman, Freddy Shepherd, wanted to plump for continuity, he would find it difficult.

In a win-or-bust match, a second-half equaliser by Gavin McCann delivered the biggest blow yet to the Scot’s fading job prospects. A draw wasn’t good enough, but as demonstrating fans later suggested, it could, and should, have been worse. Gareth Barry, a player Souness is repeatedly linked with, struck a last-minute penalty over the crossbar, after the reckless Titus Bramble had needlessly felled Milan Baros with a sliding tackle.

“We got a bit of luck,” admitted Souness. “Titus has to have a close look at himself. Why he has gone to make that challenge at that time I really don’t know.” Bizarrely, after an impotent display, relieved only by Alan Shearer’s first-half penalty, it was the manager’s one gripe. “I am extremely happy with what I got from them,” he said, before stressing that, while the past few days have not been enjoyable, there are more important things in life.

David O’Leary, meanwhile, was even happier, although his side had not threatened until the game’s final quarter. The Villa manager, whose position was only marginally less precarious beforehand, claimed his team deserved all three points, but against so compliant a home side, it wasn’t saying much.

This is Newcastle’s poorest start to a season in six years. If the results have been bad, their failure to create opportunities is worse. Shearer’s goal yesterday, after a handball in the box, was their first in four matches.

In defence of Souness, his resources here did not lend themselves to ruthlessness. With Emre missing and Michael Owen again absent, Newcastle revolved around holding players, Amdy Faye and Scott Parker.

At least they had Shearer, who was not about to pass up his opportunity from the spot. Wilfred Bouma headed clear a cross by Nolberto Solano, but when Parker’s shot struck Liam Ridgewell on the arm, there was no arguing with the referee’s decision. Thomas Sorensen reached the penalty, but could not prevent it crossing the line. It was the only attempt on target in an otherwise staid first half.

Although Lee Hendrie produced an immediate response with a free kick that flew into the side-netting, neither side was able to find another gear.Shola Ameobi, at least, has an unpredictable dimension rare among his teammates. He was the solitary source of invention in the first half, on one occasion jinking past McCann and Aaron Hughes before curving a shot round the far post.

There were those of the view that Shearer would never equal Jackie Milburn’s record 200 goals for Newcastle, but the penalty that took him to within two of that mark had the effect of lifting his game.

Souness had instructed his team to be more direct, and the captain nearly benefited from that early in the second half. It took an almighty hoof by Shay Given to present him with his second scoring opportunity. The clearance took one high bounce just outside the box before Shearer’s dipping shot glanced the top of the crossbar.

His team’s lack of imagination was almost painful, but at least they had urgency. Villa had only Hendrie’s occasional efforts from long range to commend them, and it was over an hour before Given was asked to make a save. When McCann chested down a loose ball and lobbed it towards the back post, the goalkeeper spiralled upwards to paw it away.

Newcastle, though, are far too fragile a side to be secure with only a goal, and it wasn’t long before McCann demonstrated as much. When Hendrie’s cut-back rolled invitingly to the edge of the area, the midfielder had the space and freedom to place a firm shot into the bottom left-hand corner.

STAR MAN: Gavin McCann (Aston Villa)

Player ratings. Newcastle: Given 7, Ramage 7, Bramble 5, Boumsong 5, Elliott 6, Solano 6 (Bowyer, 87min 5), Faye 6, Parker 7, Ameobi 7, Chopra 6 (Luque, 81min 4), Shearer 7

Aston Villa: Sorensen 6, Hughes 6, Mellberg 7, Ridgewell 6, Bouma 6, Hendrie 7, McCann 8, Davis 6 (Bakke, 61min 5) Barry 6, Angel 5 (Moore, 62min 5), Baros 6

Scorers: Newcastle: Shearer 32pen

Aston Villa: McCann 75

Referee: A Wiley

Attendance: 52,267

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