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Sandro Tonali's performance inspires Newcastle to secure a win over Aston Villa, who were reduced to ten men.

Is there a more compelling argument for the use of video assistant referees (VAR) than what was witnessed in this match?

Newcastle's 3-1 victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round was marked by controversy, with several key decisions made without the aid of VAR, which is not introduced until the fifth round.

For the current and previous FA Cup seasons, VAR has not been utilized until the fifth round, leaving many fans to experience football without the interruptions caused by technology.

Referee Chris Kavanagh faced numerous challenging decisions, including an offside goal, a potential penalty, and several other contentious calls, which may have impacted the outcome of the game.

Despite being on the receiving end of most of the disputed calls, Newcastle progressed to the next round, but manager Eddie Howe expressed his frustration with the officiating.

Tammy Abraham's goal for Villa was ruled onside, despite appearing to be offside, while Lucas Digne's handball should have resulted in a penalty rather than a free-kick, and the defender was also fortunate to avoid a red card for a reckless challenge.

Howe noted that while the absence of VAR can lead to a more exciting and immersive experience for fans, it also means that accurate results may not always be achieved.

"The presence of VAR can provide more precise decision-making, which is invaluable in critical moments," Howe said.

"However, when VAR is available, officials may rely on it to correct their decisions, potentially leading to a decrease in their own decision-making abilities."

"I have mixed feelings about VAR; on one hand, it's wonderful to experience the raw emotion of a goal without interruptions, but on the other hand, I wished VAR was available to review the goal scored against us and other key moments in the game."

Aston Villa will likely reflect on the red card given to goalkeeper Marco Bizot and the potential offside position of Dan Burn during Newcastle's equalizing goal.

Villa manager Unai Emery stated, "Today's events demonstrate the necessity of VAR in assisting referees."

After a season where VAR has been a frequent topic of discussion, does this weekend's events highlight the potential issues that arise when it's not used?

Former England striker Alan Shearer commented, "Referees have become accustomed to relying on VAR for several months, and it's challenging for them to adjust to not having it in high-pressure games."

"It's difficult to criticize the officials, given their reliance on VAR for an extended period, but it's essential for them to perform their duties accurately, even without the aid of technology."

"The absence of VAR in this match has exposed the potential damage it has caused to referees' decision-making abilities, as they appear hesitant to make calls without the safety net of technology."

"Today's events serve as evidence of the impact VAR has had on referees, making them more reliant on technology and less confident in their own abilities."

The FA Cup does not utilize VAR until the fifth round, raising questions about the consistency of refereeing decisions.

Tonali's double helps Newcastle overcome Aston Villa and advance to the next round.

Newcastle secured a comeback victory over Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup fifth round.

Replays clearly showed that Abraham's goal should have been disallowed for offside, while the decision not to award a penalty for Digne's handball was widely criticized.

Digne was clearly inside the penalty area when he committed the handball, but the referee awarded a free-kick instead, which ultimately led to Tonali's equalizing goal.

Former England striker Wayne Rooney described the decision as "one of the worst" he has seen, given that Digne was clearly inside the penalty area.

"The linesman had a clear view of the incident and should have intervened to correct the referee's mistake," Rooney added.

"The referee seemed to be influenced by the linesman, but the decision was still incorrect, and it's shocking that it was not rectified."

Former Newcastle forward Alan Shearer said, "While the referee might have been excused for not seeing the incident clearly, there is no excuse for the assistant referee, who had a clear view of the handball."

"The assistant referee's failure to intervene and correct the decision is inexcusable, given the clarity of the incident and the significance of the moment."

"At this level, the assistant referee should be able to make the correct call, and it's not a difficult decision; in fact, it's a straightforward one."

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Newcastle felt aggrieved by the offside goal scored by Abraham, which gave Villa the lead.

Abraham scored the opening goal for Villa.

Newcastle had recently experienced a marginal VAR decision, which disallowed a goal for Joe Willock due to a minor offside infringement.

Abraham's goal was the type of clear error that VAR was introduced to correct.

With VAR, the goal would have been disallowed due to Abraham's clear offside position.

While the assistant referee might have been affected by the switch between systems, it's essential for them to raise their flag when they identify an offside, regardless of the presence of VAR.

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Shearer believed that Digne should have been sent off for his "dangerous tackle."

The question remains whether Digne's tackle warranted a red card.

The question remains whether the VAR would have intervened to issue a red card to Digne for his late tackle on Jacob Murphy, but based on Premier League precedents, it's uncertain.

In similar instances, the VAR has cited minimal contact to justify upholding a yellow card decision, as seen in Diogo Dalot's challenge on Jeremy Doku during the Manchester derby last month.

Digne's speed approaching the tackle increased the likelihood of a red card upon review, but the outcome is still far from clear.

However, Digne avoided making contact with Murphy's shin, and the quick withdrawal of his foot may have been a mitigating factor.

It's possible that the on-field decision, whether a yellow or red card, would have been allowed to stand.

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Villa goalkeeper Bizot received a straight red card before halftime, prompting the question, 'What was he thinking?'

The incident raised questions about whether it constituted serious foul play or denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity (Dogso).

In reality, the situation could have been classified as either, as Bizot's knee-high challenge on Murphy, although not with studs leading, was a significant foul.

At the time of the foul, Newcastle had a 3-on-1 advantage, with only Luiz back to defend, but Dogso would only apply to the player directly affected, Murphy.

The VAR would consider the direction of the ball and whether Luiz could have intercepted the shot, in determining whether to apply Dogso.

While a case can be made for Dogso, it's likely that the on-field decision would have been upheld, much like the Digne incident.

Did Digne commit handball in the penalty area, a question that arises from the incident.

It's puzzling how referee Chris Kavanagh and his assistant arrived at the decision to award a free-kick, given the circumstances.

Throughout the sequence, Digne remained inside the penalty area, from the moment Kieran Trippier played the cross to the instant he handled the ball.

Even after committing the handball, Digne continued to walk within the box, highlighting the error in the original decision.

The VAR would have required only a brief moment to correct the free-kick decision and award a penalty instead.

A question mark hangs over whether Burn was offside when Newcastle scored their equalizer.

Although Newcastle ultimately scored through Tonali from the resulting free-kick, the goal could have been disallowed if VAR had been in use.

As Trippier delivered the free-kick, Burn ran across the front of the Villa defense, potentially in an offside position.

Burn's actions, including pushing down on Abraham and jumping in front of substitute goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, may have influenced the play, even if he didn't touch the ball.

If the semi-automated technology had determined Burn to be offside, the goal would likely have been ruled out, although it would have been a close call.