Football managers make their feelings clear after referee makes 'worst decisions ever seen' in FA cup clash

Without VAR technology available, Kavanagh and his officiating team appeared to make at least three significant errors during the Villa Park encounter, mistakes that could have proved costly for the Magpies.

Following the match, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe suggested that officials have grown overly dependent on video assistance, arguing that VAR has become a safety net for referees.

He said: "I think there’s an argument to say that, because when VAR is there, there’s always a, ‘Well, I won’t give that, but let’s check it.'"

"And I think then your decision-making maybe isn’t as sharp as it may normally have to be so maybe there’s a difference there.

"I’m always torn on VAR. I said this many times because I still love the emotion, even tonight, when a goal is given and you don’t see a flag or a referee, it’s a goal, and no-one’s going to take it away from you.

"That joy that you get in that moment, I still really love and VAR takes it away. But then on the other side, I was wishing there was VAR on the first goal against us, and probably throughout that game."

Villa took the lead through Tammy Abraham, whose strike was evidently offside yet allowed to stand.

The officiating errors continued when Lucas Digne escaped punishment for a dangerous shin-high challenge on Jacob Murphy, a tackle that warranted a red card.

However, the most egregious mistake occurred in the second half when Digne handled the ball clearly inside the penalty area.

Despite the infringement taking place approximately three yards within the box, Kavanagh and assistant Nick Greenhalgh incorrectly awarded a free-kick outside the area rather than a penalty.

Howe added: "I think it does give accurate results. It does make the game more concise in terms of decision-making and those moments, you have to respect that they’re worth their weight in gold, especially for us today, when we’re on the wrong side of it.

"So I’m still very much torn on it. The officials don’t make any (wrong) decision on purpose. It’s what they think at the time. But with without VAR, I thought there was a lot of errors."

Howe was pleased with how his players kept their cool amid a host of decisions going against them.

He said: "I thought the players did really well to control their emotions, to stay calm, not let it affect our performance negatively. And that’s not easy to do in that situation where you feel aggrieved, so I think that certainly helps our performance in the second half."

Former England captain Wayne Rooney delivered a scathing verdict on the handball incident, describing it as "one of the worst decisions I have ever seen in football it's an absolute shocker".

The sole correct major call from Kavanagh came when he dismissed Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot for bringing down Murphy near the centre circle, reducing the hosts to ten men.

That dismissal provided Newcastle with the opportunity to mount their comeback.

Sandro Tonali converted the resulting free-kick before adding a superb long-range effort, with Nick Woltemade completing the scoring late on.

A fortnight ago, Villa boss Unai Emery said VAR was "unfair" after it cruelly intervened to deny a goal they scored in a Premier League defeat to Brentford.

But the Spaniard admitted: "Today VAR makes sense. VAR is necessary to help the referees."

He added: "We played a very competitive match. I was so, so happy about us in the first half.

"With the red card, and Newcastle scoring, it was more difficult for us."

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