Aston Villa Player Ratings vs Newcastle: 'Idiotic' 3/10 and 'Ludicrous' 4s in Eventful FA Cup Defeat
In a highly controversial FA Cup fourth-round clash, Aston Villa suffered a dramatic 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United at Villa Park on Saturday night. Despite benefiting from a series of contentious refereeing decisions, Unai Emery's side were unable to hold onto their lead, ultimately crashing out of the competition in a match filled with drama and poor individual performances.
Controversial Officiating Overshadows Villa's Early Advantage
The match began with Villa taking a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute through Tammy Abraham, who scored from an offside position after controlling Douglas Luiz's clever free-kick. With no VAR available to review the call, the goal stood, much to Newcastle's frustration. Villa's luck continued when Lucas Digne escaped a red card for a reckless challenge on Jacob Murphy, a decision that left many baffled.
However, the tide turned just before half-time as Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot was sent off for a rash challenge 40 yards from his goal, reducing the home side to 10 men. Leon Bailey also shared blame for giving the ball away in the build-up to the incident. Newcastle then felt aggrieved again when they were denied a clear penalty for a Digne handball inside the box, with referee Chris Kavanagh incorrectly awarding a free-kick outside the area instead.
Newcastle's Comeback Seals Villa's Fate
From the ensuing free-kick, Sandro Tonali equalised for Newcastle with a deflected shot, sparking a comeback. Tonali added a stunning second goal from 25 yards, and Nick Woltemade capitalised on a defensive error by Lamare Bogarde to seal a 3-1 victory late in the game. Emery cut a despondent figure on the touchline as Villa's trophy hopes took a significant blow, leaving them to focus on the Europa League and Premier League pursuits.
Player Ratings: Defensive Blunders and Mixed Performances
Goalkeeper and Defence:
- Marco Bizot (sent off 45'): Received a red card for a reckless challenge far from his goal, described as idiotic. Rating: 3/10.
- Lamare Bogarde: At fault for Woltemade's goal with a poor pass in his own area, earning a ludicrous 4/10.
- Victor Lindelof: Escaped a penalty call early on and struggled defensively in the second half. Rating: 5/10.
- Pau Torres: Failed to influence the game significantly and had defensive lapses. Rating: 5/10.
- Lucas Digne: Lucky to avoid a red card for a dangerous challenge and conceded a free-kick that led to Newcastle's first goal, another ludicrous 4/10.
Midfield and Attack:
- Douglas Luiz (off 78'): Provided an assist for Abraham's goal and was solid overall, though deflected Tonali's shot for Newcastle's equaliser. Rating: 7/10.
- Amadou Onana: Started well with tackles but lost composure as Villa faltered. Rating: 5/10.
- Ross Barkley (off 66'): Showed flashes of sharpness but struggled after Villa went down to 10 men. Rating: 6/10.
- Morgan Rogers (off 78'): Energetic initially but tired and gave the ball away in the second half. Rating: 6/10.
- Leon Bailey (off 45'): Contributed to Bizot's red card with a poor pass, earning a ludicrous 4/10.
- Tammy Abraham (off 66'): Scored a controversial goal and displayed good hold-up play. Rating: 7/10.
Newcastle's victory, despite the officiating controversies, highlights Villa's defensive frailties and individual errors, casting a shadow over their cup ambitions this season.
