In a pulsating FA Cup fourth-round encounter, Sandro Tonali emerged as the hero for Newcastle United, netting a brace to secure a 3-1 victory over 10-man Aston Villa. The match, however, was overshadowed by a series of contentious refereeing decisions from Chris Kavanagh and his team, with VAR notably absent until the next round of the competition.
Controversial Officiating Dominates First Half
With VAR not in use, the officials appeared to make at least three major errors, highlighting concerns over their reliance on technology. Aston Villa took an early lead in the 14th minute through Tammy Abraham, who converted from a Douglas Luiz free-kick despite being clearly in an offside position. The flag stayed down, allowing Abraham to score his first goal for Villa since his 2019 loan spell.
Newcastle felt further aggrieved in the 22nd minute when they were denied a penalty after Lewis Hall seemed to be fouled by Victor Lindelof, but Kavanagh waved play on. The situation worsened in the 42nd minute as Lucas Digne avoided a red card for a reckless, shin-high tackle on Jacob Murphy, a decision that would likely have been reviewed under VAR.
Villa's Red Card and Newcastle's Comeback
The first half ended disastrously for Villa when goalkeeper Marco Bizot was sent off in stoppage time for wiping out Murphy near the centre circle. This gave Eddie Howe's side the momentum to turn the game around after the break. Sandro Tonali equalised in the 63rd minute, firing home a deflected free-kick after Emiliano Martinez flapped at the delivery, despite controversy over the award being outside the box when replays showed a handball by Digne yards inside the area.
Tonali then put Newcastle ahead with a sweet strike from 20 yards, finding the bottom corner. Nick Woltemade wrapped up the victory in the 88th minute, capitalising on a misplaced pass by Lamare Bogarde to send Newcastle into the fifth round.
Post-Match Reflections and Implications
The match reignited debates over VAR's role, with Villa boss Unai Emery having previously criticised the technology as "unfair" after a Premier League defeat to Brentford. Ironically, he might have welcomed its absence in this fixture, given the decisions that favoured his side early on. For Newcastle, the win marks a significant step in their FA Cup campaign, showcasing resilience amid adversity.
This result underscores the ongoing challenges in football officiating, particularly without technological aids, and sets the stage for an intriguing fifth-round draw as Newcastle continue their pursuit of silverware.
