Controversial Officiating Overshadows Newcastle’s FA Cup Advancement

omidbasir- Newcastle United advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup, despite a controversial decision not to award a penalty shortly after the hour mark. Manager Wayne Rooney described it as “one of the worst decisions [he has] ever seen in football.”

Without Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology available at this stage of the competition, referee Chris Kavanagh and his officiating team faced a challenging afternoon, with multiple contentious calls, many of which seemed unfavorable to the visiting side. Tammy Abraham’s opening goal for Aston Villa was preceded by an apparent offside, while Lucas Digne managed to avoid a sending-off for a dangerous tackle on Jacob Murphy, later leading to a free kick that resulted in Sandro Tonali’s deflected equalizer.

Newcastle eventually took the lead against a ten-man Villa, who had Marco Bizot dismissed during first-half stoppage time. Nick Woltemade later sealed the victory for Newcastle. The outcome of the match might have mitigated the criticism aimed at the officials, yet the necessity of VAR was underscored after a series of objectively incorrect decisions.

In the post-match analysis on BBC One, Rooney expressed his frustration: “That decision [Digne’s handball] is one of the worst decisions I have ever seen in football because at no stage was Digne out of the penalty box. He was three or four yards inside. The linesman was in front of it, and you can clearly see how much he is in the penalty box. The referee appeared to consult someone in his ear, suggesting the linesman influenced the decision, which was absolutely shocking.”

Alan Shearer echoed Rooney’s sentiments regarding the officiating standards at Villa Park, pointing out the detrimental effects that VAR has had on referees: “I would just like the officials to do their job properly. That’s all. It’s not too much to ask, is it? They have relied on VAR for several months, and now they face a different situation without it.”

Eddie Howe, the winning manager, was hesitant to fully endorse VAR but acknowledged its significance in preventing mistakes like those witnessed during the match. “There’s an argument that they have become reliant on VAR, which may have dulled their decision-making sharpness. I love the emotion of football—the thrill when a goal is scored without the interference of VAR, but I also wished VAR had been in place during the first goal against us.”

From the fifth round onward, VAR will be implemented in this season’s FA Cup, aiming to promote fairness in officiating across all levels of the competition. Whether this strategy will prove effective remains to be seen, especially in light of the decisions made against Newcastle at Villa Park. However, with Howe’s side emerging victorious, it is hoped that no lasting consequences will arise.