Referee decisions spark outrage as Newcastle progress in FA Cup
Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer launched a furious on-air attack after what they branded ‘one of the worst decisions ever in football’ as Newcastle dumped Aston Villa out of the FA Cup in a night of refereeing chaos, reports BritPanorama.
The controversy began early when Tammy Abraham fired Villa ahead, latching onto Douglas Luiz’s clever free-kick before controlling and finishing past Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. However, replays suggested the 28-year-old had mistimed his run, with assistant referee Nick Greenhalgh keeping his flag down. BBC co-commentator Danny Murphy noted, “He looks a yard off to me.”
If that decision sparked frustration, what followed ignited fury. Lucas Digne somehow avoided a red card after launching into a high sliding challenge on Jacob Murphy. Referee Chris Kavanagh produced only a yellow, and without VAR—absent for this fourth-round tie—there was no opportunity for the punishment to be upgraded. Murphy later claimed Digne was “lucky” to escape without his marching orders.
The most astonishing moment came after the break when Digne blocked a cross with his elbow clearly inside the penalty area yet Kavanagh awarded only a free-kick. Replays showed the defender was several yards within the box, prompting disbelief both in the stands and in the studio. Rooney did not hold back: “That decision is one of the worst decisions I have ever seen in football because at no stage was Digne out the penalty box. He is three or four yards inside the penalty box,” he said. “The referee looked like he blew and it looked like he was listening on his ‘ears’ so I’m assuming the linesman has given that decision – and it’s an absolute shocker.”
Shearer echoed Rooney’s sentiments, reserving particular criticism for the assistant official. “There was perhaps a small excuse for the referee to not see this – and I’m being kind to him,” he said. “But there was no excuse whatsoever for the assistant who is 10 or 15 yards away – Nick Greenhalgh, who had an absolute nightmare today.” He explained, “If you ever needed any evidence of the damage VAR has done to the referees, today is a great example of that because these guys looked petrified to make decisions because they didn’t have a comfort blanket.”
Despite the officiating storm, Newcastle responded emphatically after falling behind. Sandro Tonali struck twice to turn the tie around before Nick Woltemade sealed a 3-1 victory, with the Magpies now in the hat for Monday’s fifth-round draw.
In the end, the match became a stark reminder of how crucial decisions can alter the course of a game, and perhaps highlight the growing pains of officiating in an era moving away from traditional methods. The referee’s difficulties serve not just as a point of contention, but a reflection of a sport grappling with the balance between technology and the human element at its core.
