It ended Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 3.
Ahead of each game we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the match.
An interesting game at Villa Park…
Plenty to talk about after this one.
On this occasion it is The Armchair Fan.
POSITIVES
We won!
Objective complete!
Three goals, a win and a place in the last sixteen of the cup.
Any win is to be enjoyed and dumping a Premier League rival out of the FA Cup, especially away from home, should be savoured.
This was a fine win for Newcastle United who were full value for the victory having outplayed a good Villa side for the entire match.
Nick Woltemade
The one thing an out of form striker needs is a goal, any goal.
We may have been a tad fortunate with the loose pass that gifted Willock possession in the box but Woltemade scored with a cracking finish, which will do him the power of good.
The relief shone through during his celebration and hopefully there’s plenty more goals to come.
Sandro Tonali
Not a bad way to open your account for the season!
With the news that Bruno will be out for a number of weeks, we were looking for some inspiration from midfield and Tonali more than delivered.
He may have looked a little off the pace in some games this season but against Aston Villa he was back to his match winning best.
NEGATIVES
VARcical
Come back VAR, all is forgiven!
Have you ever seen more incompetent officiating!?
Aston Villa led by a blatantly offside goal before the Toon were denied two penalties and a Villa player should have been sent off…and that was just the first half!
Worse was to follow, when a handball in the box was punished with a free-kick OUTSIDE the penalty area.
Thankfully, Newcastle United were able to battle against such injustice. but if we’d lost, we’d have been talking about it for years.
Fixture congestion
I can’t be the only one thinking that exiting the FA Cup may have been something of a blessing in disguise.
We have been hammered by fixtures all season with a run to the League Cup semi-final, the Champions League play-offs and now the last sixteen of the FA Cup.
This promises to be one of our busiest seasons on record with no let-up in our hectic schedule.
Injuries and suspensions
Following on from the above, the match schedule is bound to really test the squad depth.
Bruno is now injured and Wissa was left out of the matchday squad too on Saturday, having picked up a knock in training.
During the match, Thiaw, Barnes and Ramsey all picked up yellow cards.
Injuries and suspensions are the last things we need!