Newcastle United produced a superb second-half display to defeat Aston Villa 3-1 at Villa Park on Saturday, with Sandro Tonali scoring a remarkable brace from outside the box to book their place in the FA Cup fifth round. Villa had taken a controversial early lead through Tammy Abraham's 14th-minute header, which appeared offside but was allowed to stand, before the match swung decisively in Newcastle's favour after goalkeeper Marco Bizot received a straight red card for bringing down Jacob Murphy near the halfway line.
Abraham's opening goal gave Villa the perfect start, rising above his marker to direct a corner kick into the net with a firm header. However, replays suggested the striker was in an offside position when the delivery was made, and the decision to award the goal sparked immediate protests from the Newcastle players and coaching staff. Despite the sense of injustice, Newcastle maintained their discipline and waited patiently for opportunities to emerge against a Villa side that initially looked comfortable defending their advantage.
The game's complexion changed dramatically when Bizot's rush of blood cost Villa dearly. The goalkeeper charged out of his penalty area to close down Murphy on a breakaway but misjudged his intervention, clattering into the winger near the halfway line and leaving the referee with no choice but to produce a red card. With Villa down to ten men and forced to reorganize, Newcastle sensed their opportunity and began to dominate possession, pressing higher up the pitch and creating overloads in wide areas.
Tonali was the catalyst for Newcastle's comeback, scoring two spectacular goals from distance that left Villa's replacement goalkeeper with no chance. His first, in the 63rd minute, was a fierce drive from 25 yards that arrowed into the top corner, while his second in the 76th minute was an equally impressive curling effort that dipped over the wall of defenders. The Italian midfielder became the first Newcastle player to score two goals from outside the penalty area in a single match since Mohamed Diame against Preston in October 2016, a statistic that underlined the quality of his strikes. Nick Woltemade completed the scoring in the 88th minute to seal a comprehensive victory.
The result represents a significant statement for Eddie Howe's side as they continue to chase silverware in the FA Cup. Newcastle's ability to remain patient after falling behind to a disputed goal and then capitalise ruthlessly after the red card demonstrated the tactical maturity that has characterised their improved form in recent weeks. For Aston Villa, Bizot's rash challenge proved the decisive turning point in a match they had been controlling, and Unai Emery will be frustrated by the manner in which his side's cup hopes disintegrated in the second half.
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