Sandro Tonali scored twice as Newcastle United overcame a series of controversial decisions from the officials to knock 10-man Aston Villa out of the FA Cup.
This was a fourth-round tie packed with drama, incident and goals at Villa Park as Newcastle channelled their frustration to turn the game on its head in impressive fashion in the second half.
Although Aston Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot was red-carded just before half-time, the visitors had been angered by a series of dubious calls from referee Chris Kavanagh and his officials, with the video assistant referee (VAR) not in operation for the competition’s fourth round.
Villa striker Tammy Abraham was not flagged offside when collecting a Douglas Luiz free-kick and putting the hosts in front in the 14th minute.
Kavanagh later awarded a free-kick outside the box rather than a penalty after Lucas Digne blocked Kieran Trippier’s cross with his hand inside the area.
The referee also showed Villa’s French left-back a yellow card for a late challenge on Jacob Murphy in the first half, which left the Newcastle forward with cuts on his shins.
But the visitors showed their powers of recovery to fight back for an impressive success.
It was from the free-kick following the Digne handball incident that Newcastle equalised in the 63rd minute.
Substitute goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could only parry Trippier’s delivery into the path of Tonali, whose strike from outside the box took a wicked deflection before nestling into the net.
It was the Italian midfielder’s first goal of the season, but the he quickly doubled his total for the campaign with a superb 76th-minute strike after he let fly with an unstoppable effort from distance.
There was still time for Nick Woltemade to add a third – ending a 14-match goal drought on his 24th birthday – from close range to send the 6,500 travelling supporters into raptures.
They had earlier vented their fury towards the officials after their side – who last won the FA Cup in 1955 – fell behind in controversial circumstances.
Abraham was offside when Luiz clipped a free-kick into the box. but the linesman’s flag stayed down as the striker chested the ball down and hooked it into the net for his first goal since rejoining the club from Besiktas last month.
But there were certainly no complaints from the visitors when Bizot was sent off following a moment of madness from the goalkeeper in first-half added time.
Trippier sent Murphy through with a searching ball over the top after Villa forward Leon Bailey had given the ball away, with his team-mates still high up the pitch from an earlier corner.
Dutchman Bizot rushed off his line and took Murphy out with a high challenge just inside Villa’s half and with Newcastle team-mates in support, which left Kavanagh with little option but to send him off.
Eddie Howe’s side made their extra man count to book their place in the fifth round at the expense of the seven-time winners.
More to follow.