United made it three Premier League victories in a row with Sunday's hard-fought win against Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa.
Kieran Trippier's second goal in two matches proved to the difference on a day where the Magpies defended impressively throughout, with Dan Burn particularly impressive on his debut for his boyhood club.
The final whistle brought a feeling of relief around St. James' Park, with United now four points clear of the bottom three - but Eddie Howe knows that his players have to maintain a similar momentum for the remainder of the season. Club photographer Serena Taylor brought nufc.co.uk this gallery.