Glenn Roeder's men looked to have victory all-but wrapped up inside the opening seven minutes when James Milner, who spent last season on loan at Villa Park, and Kieron Dyer fired them into a 2-0 lead.But the visitors, who started with a new-look strike force of #8million man Ashley Young and John Carew, pulled a goal back when the former Watford star opened his account on 25 minutes, and the Magpies crumbled.
Had it not been for the brilliance of stand-in goalkeeper Steve Harper and the help of the woodwork, Martin O'Neill's side could not only have been back on terms, but comfortably ahead by the time referee Howard Webb signalled the end of an agonising game for the home fans among a crowd of 49,201.
O'Neill, heavily linked with the vacant job at St James' before Roeder was appointed, headed back to the Midlands scarcely able to believe he was doing so empty-handed after substitute Antoine Sibierski made sure of the win at the end.
But with good fortune having been in short supply on Tyneside this season, Roeder, who welcomed back Damien Duff and Titus Bramble from long-term injuries, may feel his luck is starting to turn.
New signing Oguchi Onyewu, watching from the stands along with injured striker Michael Owen, was given a crash course in life on Tyneside within the opening 45 minutes of a breathless game.
With seven minutes gone, he could have done little else but marvel at the attacking potency of the club he joined on loan from Standard Liege on Tuesday.
By half-time, he will have been in little doubt as to just why Roeder was so keen to sign defensive reinforcements.
The Magpies simply exploded out of the blocks and could really have had the points safely banked long before the break.
Milner, who very nearly signed for Villa on the final day of the last transfer window, helped himself to his fourth goal in as many home games just five minutes after kick-off when he made the most of Gavin McCann's slip to smash a left-foot shot past Thomas Sorensen.
The Dane, who famously twice saved Alan Shearer penalties at St James', was picking the ball out of his net again two minutes later after Dyer had flicked a clever header beyond him from an inviting Milner cross.
Sorensen was beaten for a third time in the 18th minute when Scott Parker blasted a dipping shot past him - but it come back off the crossbar with Villa reeling.
However, after dominating the opening stages, Newcastle suddenly lost the plot.
A defence strengthened by the return of Bramble and Steven Taylor, went missing on 25 minutes as Gareth Barry's corner was allowed to land at Young's feet, and he netted confidently to drag Villa back into the game.
The Magpies' response was to fall apart, and had it not been for the excellence of Harper, deputising for the injured Shay Given, and the woodwork, they might even have surrendered their lead.
Harper produced a fine reaction save to deny Young from another half-cleared corner on 32 minutes and then needed to be at his best to keep out a smartly-struck Carew volley two minutes before the break.
In the meantime, the towering Norwegian had hit the upright with a header, and although Obafemi Martins headed over from close range on 44 minutes, it was the home side who were grateful to hear the whistle.
The pattern of play continued immediately after the break with Harper having to pull off a superb save to keep out Gabriel Agbonlahor's 47th-minute header from Wilfred Bouma's left-wing cross.
Newcastle's confidence had ebbed away and the situation was not improved by the growing tension from the stands.
That proved well-founded as Taylor had to head a Barry shot over his own bar and Carew had a header ruled out for a push on Sibierski.
Carew made way for Patrik Berger on 69 minutes and split the home defence within two minutes of his arrival, but Young was once again denied by Harper.
Villa continued to dominate, but Newcastle were at last providing greater protection for Harper and they made sure in injury-time when Duff and Martins combined to set up Sibierski, who applied a stylish finish.
Newcastle United 3 - 1 Aston Villa
