Villa led through Tammy Abraham but the game turned on the stroke of half-time when goalkeeper Marco Bizot was sent off. Sandro Tonali then scored twice before Nick Woltemade wrapped up the victory in the last minute.
FURY AT OFFICIATING
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris revealed on Friday that Chris Kavanagh had admitted he’d made a “mistake” in not awarding Sunderland and Brian Brobbey a penalty against Liverpool in midweek. More mistakes followed here from the referee in what was quite frankly an appalling display of officiating.
Kavanagh and his assistants allowed Abraham’s Aston Villa opener to stand when it should have been disallowed for offside and missed what appeared to be a clear red card when Lucas Digne was late and high on Jacob Murphy. Had VAR been in operation, Digne would almost certainly have been sent off. Marco Bizot was sent off on the stroke of half-time but the goalkeeper gave Kavanagh absolutely no option, wiping out Murphy 40 yards from goal as Newcastle countered after a Villa corner.
That decision hardly made up for his errors, though. As well as the Villa goal and the Digne tackle, Kavanagh waved away three first half Newcastle penalty claims.
JUSTICE FOR NEWCASTLE
Kavanagh’s shockers kept coming.
Just before the hour mark, the referee denied Newcastle a clear penalty for a Digne handball, instead awarding the Magpies a free-kick when the offence was clearly inside the area. Where on earth was the help from the assistant on that side?
Thankfully for Newcastle – and Kavanagh – the decision mattered not, for the Magpies levelled from the free-kick, Tonali lashing in from the edge of the area, helped by a deflection off the back of Douglas Luiz.
That was the cue for Howe to turn to his bench and introduce Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga. The hosts were clearly on the ropes. Gordon came within inches of making an immediate impact, his low strike from inside the box deflected only just wide. Elanga was played in one on one but slipped. The changes had the desired impact and only one team looked like winning it.
TONALI’S BRILLIANCE
Sandro Tonali in the headlines again. But this time for very different reasons.
It’s been a turbulent few weeks for the Italian on the back of those deadline day reports that raised fresh uncertainty about his future on Tyneside.
But how telling it was that after lashing in his brilliant second and celebrating in front of the away end, Tonali headed over to the dugout and embraced Howe.
This was a reminder of just how important Tonali is for Newcastle. And, put simply, how good he is. He was calm, composed and controlled throughout, but especially in the second half when he made full use of Newcastle’s man advantage and dominated the game. His goals ensure Newcastle’s hope of a third Wembley visit in four seasons remain very much alive.
INJURY BLOWS
That Newcastle’s bench featured two goalkeepers and three youngsters who have played one Premier League minute between them this season tells of the injury issues Howe is having to deal with.
There was encouraging news on Lewis Miley and Joelinton this week, with the pair making good progress in their recoveries, but that was followed by the revelation that Bruno Guimaraes is facing between six and eight weeks out.
Tino Livramento won’t be back until next month, Emil Krafth still isn’t close to returning and Yoane Wissa is the latest injury victim. It’s said that the striker has only suffered a “knock” but it was a further dent to Howe’s options. Sven Botman was also missing but said to have been rested.
WOLTEMADE CURVEBALL
Howe was asked in his press conference on Friday whether he’d considered the possibility of playing Nick Woltemade in midfield. The head coach brushed off the question and perhaps wondered whether there’d been eyes on training, for the German did indeed play in a deeper role at Villa Park, an indication of both Newcastle’s injury woe and the fact the record signing hasn’t looked comfortable leading the line.
With Woltemade playing deep and Wissa missing, Will Osula was handed his first start since September but didn’t take his chance.
Woltemade, however, played well in that deeper role. He worked hard, he was disciplined and time and again he demonstrated his quite brilliant close control. In the last minute he scored the goal his performance deserved.