Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 3 – Saturday 14 February 2026 5.45pm
Direct fan/writer response from some of our regular contributors to The Mag.
Nat Seaton:
‘COME IN!!
What a fantastic result from a crazy competition.
I don’t worry about all the bad decisions and just focus on all the good. To come from behind (forget the 10 men) and win like that was great.
Sandro scoring two and Nick getting his birthday goal are big pluses.
How about a home draw in the next round…?’
Billy Miller:
‘I can’t stand VAR, but oh dear, what a terrible referee display.
The civil servants in our country are absolutely terrible.
With VAR the goal would have been disallowed and we would have received the clear penalty.
Luckily it didn’t cost us anything.
Thanks to a decent performance, helped by a red card, we deservedly came back from behind.
Two sweet goals from Sandro and a goal for the big birthday boy send us to the fifth round.’
Simon Ritter:
‘One word to sum up an Eddie Howe team: resilience.
Newcastle United achieved a brilliant result after the referee and linesmen tried to help Villa commit a spotlight robbery.
There were so many positives.
Tonali had been well below his normal level for about three months, but did well at Villa Park, where the home team had not lost for nothing after taking a lead at half-time.
Woltemade was much more involved in playing deeper.
Most importantly, justice was done after an offside goal gave Villa the lead, then a yellow for Digne (which should have been red) and then the denial of a blatant penalty.
“I want two things on Monday: a home match in the fifth round and the announcement of a long ban for Kavanagh and his equally incompetent assistants.”
GTone:
‘Justice for the Geordie 11.
I have not seen a worse performance from a referee and linesman in over 50 years.
The Villa goal is a yard offside, Digne cuts Murphy’s shin, Digne handles the ball in the area and the ball is ruled offside.
I went from 50/50 about wanting to win today to absolutely furious.
As Shearer said, that’s what happens to officials when they don’t have VAR, their comfort blanket.
I’m definitely excited about beating that bunch for a variety of reasons.
I feel great.
Angie, it’s your lucky night…The tely buttons are yours!’
Matt Busby said…:
‘Step in!
Justice was served after a horror show from the officers on duty in the first 44.5 minutes.
I had a feeling.
Let’s get an easy home game in the fifth round and then we can dream.
What a difference a week makes. We trust Eddie.
Tell me ma!’
David Punton:
‘It’s fitting that on Valentine’s Day the romance of the cup is alive and well for United.
That really was a rather brilliant victory – all despite terrible management.
Penalties not given. Villa goal offside.
The players were able to rise above that and make the man advantage count.
Sandro Tonali the hero of the day with his first goals of the season.
The second was an absolute beauty.
Eddie Howe’s threadbare team has recorded back-to-back victories.
Form and fortune are next.”
Tony Mallabar:
‘Trelford Mills, you can rest easy tonight.
Knowing that your crown of worst official has been handed over to the clown in charge tonight.
Sometimes it feels like I’m making a lonely plow in favor of VAR. But tonight it sold itself.
Good to see Sandro filling ole ole ole Bruno’s boots.
Big Nick took his goal well, but looked a bit anonymous at times, and hopefully we won’t see the careless chicken in a black and white shirt again.
“I’m going to the fifth round draw and hopefully I’ll be between Warsaw and Baku when the draw is drawn.”
Mark Jankowski:
‘Newcastle United advance in the cup after a dominant performance at Villa Park.
My biggest takeaway from the game, however, is the fact that this match served as an advertisement for why VAR is absolutely necessary in football.
Had Newcastle not progressed to the fifth round today it would have been an absolute travesty because on another day, with technology in play, Newcastle would be 5-0 up against ten men.
Fingers crossed for a more favorable draw in the next round.”
Aston Villa 1 Newcastle 3 – Saturday 14 February 2026 5.45pm
Match statistics
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Tonali 63, 76, Woltemade 88
Astonvilla:
Abrham 14, Bizot 45+1 red card
Possess 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 vs Aston Villa:
Ramsdale, Trippier (Alex Murphy 90), Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Ramsey (Willock 80), Tonali, Barnes, Jacob Murphy (Elanga 63), Woltemade, Osula (Gordon 63)
Unused subtitles:
Pope, Ruddy, Shahar, Neave, Seung-soo
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