All the talk coming into this one, was of the devastating news that our talismanic captain is out of action for a prolonged period. T
hen, as the team was announced, news filtered down that Nick Woltemade would be starting in the number 10 role, although he’d be playing behind Will Osula because Yoane Wissa had taken a knock during the week.
Coming away from Villa Park, whilst one of the key talking points is another abject display from those officiating, the more positive aspects are that Sandro Tonali looks like he’s back to his best, big Nick finding his feet in that deeper role and of course, an FA Cup fifth round tie to look forward to after a second win on the road in four days.
With the FA Cup not allowing the Video Assistant Referee until the fifth round, what we saw unfold in this fourth round encounter was surely enough to assuage VAR’s fiercest critics, although it’s still fair to suggest it’s the human element that has to improve, not the technology itself.
In a game where Chris Kavanagh, recently promoted to UEFA’s elite list, had an absolute nightmare, it’s credit to the Newcastle United players and coaching staff that calm heads were maintained as injustice after injustice were served up.
Villa opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Douglas Luiz scooped a free-kick over the Newcastle wall into the path of a clearly offside Tammy Abraham, who turned the ball past Aaron Ramsdale into the United net. Incredibly, Kavanagh and his assistant allowed the goal to stand, and Newcastle were behind.
Undeterred, United took the game to their hosts and had VAR been in operation, there would surely have been second looks at penalty area challenges on Lewis Hall and Harvey Barnes. Instead, play was waved on by the hapless Kavanagh.
Then came Lucas Digne’s reckless challenge on Jacob Murphy, whose leg showed the impact of the Frenchman’s studs, Kavanagh showing a yellow when it was a red all day long.
If United felt aggrieved heading towards the interval, some much needed respite came seconds before the break, there being no mistake about Marco Bizot’s dismissal, the Villa keeper fully 45 yards from goal, with an unfathomable last man challenge on Murphy.
This was the second time this season that Newcastle had found themselves up against ten men at Villa Park, the difference last night being United had a full 45 minutes to take advantage.
The hosts sat back and invited pressure, Newcastle capitalising, although not without more outrage after Digne had clearly handled in the box, yet Kavanagh judged the incident to have happened outside the area.
At least justice was immediately served, Tonali equalising after Trippier’s free-kick had been punched clear by Bizot’s replacement, Emil Martinez.
With Newcastle now in the ascendancy, the game was there to be won, Elanga and Gordon replaced Murphy and Osula.
One of Gordon’s first contributions was seeing his shot deflected agonisingly wide of the upright, before Tonali rifled United ahead, his rasping effort from fully 25 yards after Dan Burn had set him up, giving Martinez no chance.
That felt like game over and Unai Emery seemed to read the room, his withdrawal of Morgan Rogers and Douglas Luiz looking like he’d raised the white flag, before atrocious defending by Bogarde allowed Woltemade to wrap things up, scoring United’s third goal two minutes from the end.
What a difference a week makes, from the low of defeat at home to Brentford to back to back victories in London and Birmingham. Bruno might be missing, and that is a huge problem, but it feels like the squad is getting stronger and momentum is starting to gather.
Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 3 – Saturday 14 February 2026 5.45pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Tonali 63, 76, Woltemade 88
Aston Villa:
Abrham 14, Bizot 45+1 red card
Possession was Newcastle 57% Villa 43%
Total shots were Newcastle 12 Villa 8
Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Villa 2
Corners were Newcastle 6 Villa 6
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 31 Villa 25
Newcastle team v Aston Villa:
Ramsdale, Trippier (Alex Murphy 90), Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Ramsey (Willock 80), Tonali, Barnes, Jacob Murphy (Elanga 63), Woltemade, Osula (Gordon 63)
Unused Subs:
Pope, Ruddy, Shahar, Neave, Seung-soo