With Newcastle leading 1-0 at half-time thanks to Anthony Gordon’s early goal and Jhon Duran’s straight red card for violent conduct against Fabian Schar, tempers flared in an incident that saw assistant Jason Tindall and Villa analyst Victor Manas sent off.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery claimed he didn’t see what was described to him as a ‘20-man melee’ at half-time. Newcastle went on to win the game 3-0 with second half goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton.
After the match, Newcastle head coach Howe was open enough to confirm the scale of the incident.
“I saw plenty [of the incident],” he said. “I don’t know the actual details of why he was sent off, that would need some clarification from me because if you’re going to send him off you could probably send 10 to 15 people off. I’m not quite sure what he’s been charged with.
“I don’t think [a ‘20-man melee’] is far off, I think. These things always start not with the intention of it happening in the way that it did. It was probably 17 or 18 people trying to calm it down but what it looks like then is more people are involved and no one wants to see that.
“It’s not at all how I want my players and staff to be but sometimes you have to stand up for what you think is right and protect each other.
“I’m not 100% sure [what happened], it goes over in a blur and I was right at the top of it. I think frustration spilling out from what happened in the first half.”
It was a heated encounter both on the pitch and on the touchline at St James’ Park as Newcastle moved up to fifth in the table with a third successive Premier League win.
Howe added: “Because of what is at stake, the will to win sometimes spills over and when you’re as competitive as what we want to be and as Aston Villa are, there are always going to be moments where it goes overboard.”
According to Premier League rules, Tindall will now serve a one-match touchline ban in the upcoming match at Manchester Unitedon December 30.
