FA Cup LIVE! Abraham Gives Villa Lead in Tense Fourth Round Clash Against Newcastle

In a gripping FA Cup Fourth Round encounter at Villa Park on Saturday, February 14, 2026, Aston Villa took a narrow 1-0 lead over Newcastle United thanks to an early strike from Tammy Abraham in the 14th minute. The match, kicking off at 5:45pm UTC, has seen both sides create chances in a fiercely contested battle.[2][1]

Aston Villa's lineup featured goalkeeper Marco Bizot behind a solid defense of Lucas Digne, Pau Torres, Victor Lindelöf, and Lamare Bogarde. Midfield was anchored by Douglas Luiz, Amadou Onana, and Ross Barkley, with Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey, and Abraham up top. Substitutes include Emiliano Martínez, Ollie Watkins, Jadon Sancho, and Emiliano Buendía.[1][4]

The game started cautiously, but Abraham broke the deadlock with a clinical finish, sending the home crowd into rapture. Newcastle responded with threats, including a 34th-minute left-footed attempt from Harvey Barnes that sailed wide from a tight angle on the left, and an earlier miss by Bailey, whose header from a Digne cross drifted left at the 27th-minute mark.[1]

Tensions rose when Newcastle's Malick Thiaw picked up a yellow card in the 25th minute for a foul. Villa nearly doubled their lead around the 18th minute when Barkley's left-footed shot from the center was brilliantly saved by Newcastle keeper Aaron Ramsdale. Barnes won a free kick on the left wing moments later after a foul by Bogarde.[4]

As the match progressed into the second half—now past the 118-minute mark in extra time according to some updates—the score remained tight at 1-0, though reports hint at a potential equalizer from Buendía around the 71st minute in conflicting live feeds.[5] Newcastle pushed hard, with attack momentum shifting in the first half per Sofascore stats, but Villa held firm.[3]

Key stats show both teams trading possession and shots, with Villa dominating early duels. The winner advances to the fifth round amid other dramatic ties like Man City's narrow win over Salford.[4] Fans await the final whistle in this Premier League showdown turned cup thriller.

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