Unai Emery watched on as his Aston Villa team lost 3-1 at home to Newcastle United.
United progressing to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Three second half goals from NUFC eventually seeing the visitors win the match.
However, an appalling match for the referee and his assistants AND those who say VAR shouldn’t be used in football.
Unai Emery seeing a series of appalling decisions go in his favour.
It was so bad that even the Aston Villa boss was forced to confess: “Today VAR makes sense. VAR is necessary to help the referees.”
The opening goal from Villa was clearly offside.
Lewis Hall looked to have been brought down in the penalty area as the Villa defender played the man not the ball but a goal-kick awarded.
Then the Digne incident when his reckless assault on Murphy was the clearest of red cards, yet somehow got only a yellow.
A beyond belief decision when Digne was standing in the penalty area and the referee giving handball, BUT a free-kick outside the box and not a penalty.
No VAR in operation, only allowed from the next round onwards.
Unai Emery though also trying to claim that VAR decisions can even themselves out…: “Tammy Abraham scored one goal two weeks ago that was taken away by VAR and today he scored. He worked fantastically and his adaptation is going quickly. We will need his help, his commitment and his performance like today.”
There was one decision that even these appalling match officials couldn’t get wrong.
Newcastle United on the break, three attacking players against one defender, Aston Villa keeper Marco Bizot charging upfield towards the halfway line and a beyond ridiculous ‘challenge’ on Jacob Murphy. Even the useless referee Chris Kavanagh couldn’t get this one wrong.
Unai Emery asked about his keeper’s idiotic actions that got him sent off: “Marco is always playing so, so focused and performing fantastic…The red card is a difficult circumstance for him. It’s something to get as an experience to learn. We will try to improve in everything we are building, even with a bad result today.”
Aston Villa deservedly beaten.
Even Unai Emery was forced to admit Newcastle United deserved to win: “The players competed fantastic, but after we had the red card it was becoming more difficult in the second half. We continued competing and the supporters were helping us. We were being resilient, but when they scored their first goal, it was little bit more difficult. We tried but it was not enough. Newcastle is a really fantastic team and they are contenders in this competition.”
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