Aston Villa’s agony on Tyneside extended on Boxing Day, as Unai Emery’s side lost 3-0 to Newcastle United.
Villa, who had not won at St. James’ Park in 13 league games, got off to a poor start on Thursday, losing within the opening two minutes after Boubacar Kamara was dispossessed by Joelinton and Anthony Gordon bent the ball past Emi Martinez. Jhon Duran was then sent off for violent conduct, causing controversy among football fans.
Alexander Isak then scored his sixth goal in as many games, knocking in from close range on the hour mark, before Joelinton completed the scoring in second half extra time by capitalizing on Amadou Onana’s mistake.
Duran controversy takes centre stage
The decision by referee Anthony Taylor to disqualify Duran was the key talking point following the defeat. In actuality, the game took a back place to the contentious decision to reduce Villa to ten men after half an hour.
After falling behind early in the game, Villa were gaining confidence and were perhaps more likely to score the game’s next goal.
In his post-match press conference, Emery stated that Villa would appeal Duran’s three-game suspension, claiming that the 21-year-old did not deserve a red card and that his’reputation’ impacted Taylor and VAR Graham Scott’s choices.
Duran moved off the pitch after being given his marching orders, paused before Taylor received confirmation of the red card from VAR, and then booted a water bottle, prompting sarcastic shouts from Newcastle fans near the dugouts. Duran, who was clearly enraged, was then escorted down the tunnel.
Scott did not see Taylor’s ruling as a clear and apparent error, but Emery believed the referee should have taken more time in making his decision, and he also suggested that VAR monitors are underutilized for critical calls.
“Newcastle here are very strong and circumstances happened in the match which were key for the result,” according to Emery. “Always, I favor VAR, but you must use VAR.
“Today, the referee saw the red card right immediately; he was the only one in the stadium who couldn’t wait. He must be intelligent enough to take his time and make the correct conclusion.
“In this case, you must use the VAR.” He needs to be both smart and calm. It must be like that. The red card effectively ends the game; it fundamentally alters it.
Over to The FA after Shearer’s observation
Duran was chasing Onana’s pass into the channel until Fabian Schar raced over to slide it into touch. Duran lost his balance after being tackled and was later found to have stamped on the Newcastle defender.
However, Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer, one of the best centre-forwards the country has produced, and a die-hard Newcastle fan, did not believe Duran’s conduct deserved a red card. Certainly not a three-match suspension.
“I think it’s a harsh decision,” he stated on BBC MOTD. “I believe the referee is guessing based on the players’ reactions. Duran lands his left foot, twisting his ankle as he does so, which pushes you to your left side and forces him to come back in, which is why he stands on you. I believe it is a tough decision.
“Once it was on the pitch, they were not going to change it. I just thought he should have slowed down and taken more time. I considered it a poor decision.”
According to Joe Hart: “I get what Emery is saying there, he’s not necessarily saying it’s the wrong decision, but to make such a knee-jerk reaction and send him off when you have the opportunity to look at it and have some understanding of why that has gone on, I’m with Alan.”
Shearer’s comment, which uses a supporting camera perspective to clarify his point of view, gives the FA legitimate grounds to overturn Duran’s three-match suspension. It is completely unnecessary to penalize the striker so severely.
Contrasting home and away form
For the first time since February 2014, Villa have lost three consecutive Premier League games to Newcastle, both at home and away. It was their fifth consecutive league defeat on the road.
They have not lost more away top-flight matches between February and May 2016, and they have exceeded Steven Gerrard’s record of four straight Premier League away defeats in 2022.
At home, however, the situation is quite different. Villa have only lost one of their last 12 home games in all competitions, and that was in the Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace, when Emery made wholesale changes.
They’ve won their past three games against Brentford, Southampton, and Manchester City, and they’ll play Brighton and Leicester City at Villa Park next week before facing West Ham in the FA Cup third round on Friday, January 10.
Emery’s team will have the opportunity to regain momentum by playing at home. Villa have won four of their past six matches across all competitions, although three of those were at home, while the other was in the Champions League against RB Leipzig.
Villa will travel to Everton and Arsenal in three days following their next three home games.
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