Sandro Tonali scored twice as Newcastle United took benefit of Marco Bizot’s pink card to defeat Aston Villa 3-1 within the fourth spherical of the FA Cup.
Eddie Howe’s facet have been on their method out when Tammy Abraham scored his first objective since returning to Villa from Besiktas final month, however the momentum turned when Bizot was despatched off for a last-man foul, with all three of the guests’ targets coming within the second half.
VAR is just not in use till the fifth spherical of this season’s FA Cup, and that was to Villa’s profit within the 14th minute as Abraham – who appeared to be offside from Douglas Luiz’s intelligent free-kick – took the ball down on his chest and beat Aaron Ramsdale on the swivel.
Leon Bailey then despatched a free header extensive and Luiz rifled a long-range effort over the crossbar, however Villa misplaced management of the sport in first-half stoppage time.
Shortly after Lucas Digne prevented a pink card for a late problem on Jacob Murphy, the latter was launched by Harvey Barnes’ hoisted move, and Bizot got here 40 yards off his line to recklessly scythe him down.
With Bailey sacrificed for substitute goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Villa got here below strain early within the second half and have been lucky that Digne didn’t concede a penalty for dealing with Kieran Trippier’s cross.
However their resistance was damaged by Tonali’s deflected strike within the 63rd minute from that ensuing free-kick, and the Italian accomplished the turnaround when he lasered an effort into the bottom-left nook with 14 minutes to play.
Newcastle made sure of the outcome when Birthday boy Nick Woltemade completed excessive into the roof of the web within the 88th minute, after Pau Torres inadvertently performed the ball into his path.
Blissful birthday, Nick Woltemade
A objective the icing on the cake tonight https://t.co/tutt8yxPwr pic.twitter.com/LvMobCuRZT
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) February 14, 2026
Information Debrief: Bizot’s pink card expensive as Tonali fires from vary
Bizot’s mindless foul on Murphy modified this tie, as he grew to become the primary goalkeeper to be despatched off within the FA Cup correct this season, and the primary Villa participant dismissed within the competitors since Leander Dendoncker versus Stevenage in January 2023.
For example the best way the sport turned, Villa led the anticipated targets (xG) battle by 0.72 to 0.29 at half-time. By full-time, it was 1.31 xG to 0.77 xG, in Newcastle’s favour.
If Bizot was the villain, Tonali was the hero, as he grew to become the primary Newcastle participant to attain two targets from outdoors the field in a single sport since October 2016. On that event, Mohamed Diame netted twice from vary in an EFL Cup sport towards Preston North Finish.
Martinez, in the meantime, has conceded a number of targets from outdoors the field in back-to-back FA Cup appearances, additionally doing so towards Crystal Palace in final season’s semi-finals.
