Steven Taylor was sent off for hand ball, then Lee Bowyer set about knocking seven bells out of Kieron Dyer.
Saturday 01st November 2008
Chelsea v Sunderland 15.00 Everton v Fulham 12.45
Man Utd v Hull City 15.00
Middlesbrough v West Ham 15.00
Portsmouth v Wigan Athletic 15.00
Stoke City v Arsenal 15.00
Tottenham v Liverpool 17.30
West Brom v Blackburn 15.00
Sunday 02nd November 2008
Bolton v Man City 16.00
THE DAY THE TOON ARMY COULD NOT BELIEVE THEIR EYES ...
NEWCASTLE UTD 0 ASTON VILLA 3
NEWCASTLEL: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Andrew O'Brien (Taylor 52), Hughes, Jenas (Ameobi 63), Butt, Bowyer, Robert (Faye 84), Shearer, Dyer.
NEWCASTLEL: Given, Carr, Boumsong, Andrew O'Brien (Taylor 52), Hughes, Jenas (Ameobi 63), Butt, Bowyer, Robert (Faye 84), Shearer, Dyer.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Milner.
ASTON VILLA Sorensen, Delaney, Mellberg (Ridgewell 45), Laursen, Samuel, Hendrie (Solano 84), Davis, Hitzlsperger, Barry, Angel (Cole 88), Vassell.
Subs Not Used: Postma, Berson.
Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer are out Newcastle's FA Cup semi-final clash with Manchester United after being sent off for fighting each other in a disgraceful brawl.The pair are certain to be handed three-match bans after trading blows in an extraordinary bust-up nine minutes from the end of their side's humiliating 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.
Juan Pablo Angel's fourth-minute opener and two second-half penalties by Gareth Barry as substitute Steven Taylor was also dismissed for deliberate handball handed Villa the points and brought an astonishing end to the Magpies' 12-game unbeaten run.
But the scoreline was the furthest thing from the minds of the home supporters among a crowd of 52,306 who turned up to celebrate Alan Shearer's decision to play on for another season, but left knowing their hopes of a first trophy in 36 years have been dealt a major blow.
Colombian striker Angel pounced on a weak defensive header by Jermaine Jenas to thump a low drive past Shay Given and open the scoring.
Sorensen has twice saved Shearer penalties at the Gallowgate End of St James' in the past, and he should have been given the opportunity to complete a hat-trick within three minutes of the second half.
Jlloyd Samuel jumped with Shearer as Aaron Hughes' cross arrived at the far post and the full-back clearly handled the ball, but referee Barry Knight and his assistant were unmoved despite the Newcastle skipper's vociferous appeals.
But any hopes of a fightback were blown apart on 72 minutes when Butt, who had not enjoyed one of his better games, gifted the ball to Vassell, who rounded Given and then saw his goal-bound shot blocked by Taylor's arm.
Knight had little choice but to show the red card and award a penalty, and Barry confidently sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-0.
He got the chance to double his tally in the same fashion seven minutes later after Stephen Carr barged Vassell to the ground, and he made no mistake, sending Given the wrong way once again to cement victory.
But Newcastle's misery was completed when Bowyer and Dyer, after arguing angrily, traded blows and had to be separated by team-mates.
Knight consulted his assistant, but the outcome was inevitable and both were red-carded to leave their side with just eight men on the pitch.