Newcastle United advanced to the FA Cup quarter-finals with a dominant 3-1 victory over Aston Villa. Sandro Tonali scored twice for the visitors, expertly capitalizing on a decisive red card shown to Villa’s M. Bizot just before halftime.
The fifth-round clash at Villa Park promised an exciting cup tie between two Premier League rivals. Both teams had shown strong league form recently, making this FA Cup encounter a crucial test of their ambitions.
Aston Villa started brightly, putting Newcastle under early pressure. Douglas Luiz received a yellow card in the 4th minute for a professional foul. This did not deter the home side, who soon found a breakthrough.
In the 14th minute, Tammy Abraham opened the scoring for Villa. Douglas Luiz turned provider, delivering a precise pass that Abraham expertly converted, giving the home team an early lead.
The game became physical, with Malick Thiaw picking up a yellow card for Newcastle in the 25th minute. Lucas Digne then joined his teammate in the referee's book, receiving a yellow card in the 42nd minute.
However, the match took a dramatic turn moments before the break. Villa suffered a significant setback when M. Bizot was shown a straight red card in the 45th minute for tripping an opponent. This incident reduced the home side to ten men, drastically altering the game's landscape.
At halftime, Newcastle knew they had a golden opportunity to turn the tide. Villa, despite leading, faced a daunting challenge with a man disadvantage for the entire second half, requiring a resilient defensive display.
Newcastle pressed with renewed vigor in the second half. Harvey Barnes and Jacob Ramsey both received yellow cards in the 52nd and 55th minutes, respectively, as the intensity grew. The pressure eventually paid off.
Sandro Tonali leveled the score for Newcastle in the 63rd minute with a well-taken goal, seizing the numerical advantage. Newcastle made immediate substitutions, bringing on W. Osula for Anthony Gordon and J. Murphy for A. Elanga to inject fresh energy.
Villa also responded with changes, substituting Tammy Abraham for O. Watkins and Ross Barkley for Emiliano Buendía in the 65th minute. However, Newcastle's momentum was undeniable. Tonali struck again in the 76th minute, guiding home his second goal of the night after good work from Dan Burn.
As the game entered its final stages, Newcastle sealed their victory. Nick Woltemade found the net in the 88th minute, extending the lead to 3-1. Villa made further changes, including Douglas Luiz for Jadon Sancho, but it was too late to mount a comeback.
Statistics reflected Newcastle's second-half control. They enjoyed 57% possession and registered 12 shots, with 3 on target. Villa managed 8 shots, with 2 on target. Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale made one crucial save. Tonali earned a match-high rating of 9.0 for his impactful performance.
