This FA Cup tie always promised to be the most alluring in the fourth round draw — and so it proved.
A meeting between Birmingham City, upwardly mobile under their U.S. ownership and with no shortage of star power with Tom Brady as one of their investors, and Newcastle United, fresh from reaching the Carabao Cup final, offered controversy, skill, niggle and drama by the bucketload.
The Athletic analyses the key talking points.
Did Birmingham deliver in their ‘Super Bowl’?
Somewhat paradoxically, this felt like both a cliched David-vs-Goliath FA Cup tie and a huge occasion, all at the same time.
The pre-match show, which featured Jaykae, the rapper, performing a song, some bouncing tunes with all the lights turned off, and bursts of fire greeting the players on to the pitch, seemed very Super Bowl-inspired. Brady may have been preparing to be a pundit on Sunday’s latest edition of the fixture but he would surely have welcomed the theatre.
Fireworks greet the players at St Andrew’s (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
“I’ve got a loadful of messages from him,” Tom Wagner, Birmingham co-owner, told the BBC of Brady. “He calls all the time, he’s very engaged with Chris Davies and the team. I’m sure he’s watching. We love having him here.”
In Brady’s physical, if not spiritual, absence, St Andrew’s was bouncing, with the crowd geed up by the spectacle and, if Arsenal were cowed by the atmosphere at St James’ Park on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, then this much-changed Newcastle team also appeared affected by the noise.
Birmingham, meanwhile, were inspired and flooded forward, winning a corner almost immediately from kick-off and then scoring inside 45 seconds. The home side put the frighteners up Newcastle, even if the visitors rallied after a testing start, and then did not fold once they fell behind.
Birmingham have the spent the kind of money that would make many clubs in the tier above wince, and they may have ultimately fallen short of pulling off an upset here.
But they do feel like a club with genuine momentum. Further nights like this will surely follow with greater regularity.
Chris Waugh
GO DEEPER
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Do Newcastle need to be worried about their squad?
This was a real test for Newcastle’s depth.
Nine changes were made by Howe, with only Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes retaining their places — and, while this may not have seemed like a convincing victory, it was an impressive one in many ways. Newcastle were put under pressure yet, despite being without most of their key players, still found a way to win.
Regardless, when Burn gestured to the bench that he needed to come off in the 55th minute — and appeared to mouth “groin” as he walked towards the touchline — the clear risk Newcastle had taken during the January window suddenly became real.
The fee Newcastle will receive from Juventus for Lloyd Kelly, which could rise to £20million ($24.8m), may have put the club in a strong financial position heading into an extremely important summer window, but it also left Howe short of defensive options. Everything for Newcastle is now seen through the prism of the Carabao Cup final on March 16 and Burn, who has arguably been Newcastle’s player of the season, is also the emotional heartbeat of this team and one of its key leaders.
Dan Burn was forced off early at Birmingham (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Seeing him depart early was concerning, especially considering Sven Botman missed this match with a knock to his knee.
When Joe Willock also appeared to pull up following some strong Birmingham challenges, the inability to bolster this increasingly thin-looking squad last month due to financial restrictions once again came into focus. Thankfully, Willock was fine to continue and popped up with the winner, too.
Still, it was little wonder that Howe left Alexander Isak among the substitutes until the dying seconds. He needs wrapping in the proverbial cotton wool until cup-final day.
While the Carabao Cup may rightly be taking precedence now, managing to advance in the FA Cup so soon afterwards feels like another milestone for Howe’s side. They will just hope there was not too much collateral damage in the way of injuries along the way.
Chris Waugh
Should Newcastle’s first goal have stood?
The opening rounds of the FA Cup have taken us back to simpler, technology-free times and for Newcastle that proved a blessing with a controversial equaliser to cancel out Birmingham’s early lead.
William Osula’s centre from the right byline was sent goalbound by Willock, whose shot was palmed back and out off his line by goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
It looked to be a fine instinctive save but no sooner was the rebound fired wildly over, the flag of assistant referee Nigel Lugg was raised to signal a Newcastle goal. Confusion, initially, before low-key celebrations from the visitors.
Did Joel Willock’s shot cross the line? (BBC Sport)
TV replays, at best, were inconclusive, with little to suggest all of the ball had fully crossed the line.
And there will never be a definitive answer. Birmingham’s status as a League One club ensured there was no goal-line technology in operation for the tie (as well as no VAR across the fourth round) and left the call for Lugg to make from a poor angle.
It went in the favour of Willock and Newcastle, much to Birmingham’s frustration.
Phil Buckingham
Was this the goal of the tournament?
Birmingham have swept aside all comers at St Andrew’s in League One this season and any notion that Newcastle might have a simple passage to the FA Cup fifth round were dispelled once and for all just before half-time.
Davies’ squad has been assembled with no shortage of talent but the stunning strike from Tomoki Iwata, signed from Celtic last summer, was something that belonged at the very highest level.
It would have been a goal for the ages had it counted for more. For all that the danger appeared minimal on the right edge of the Newcastle box, Iwata rifled in a crisp, rising drive on the run from 25 yards out to give Nick Pope no hope. It was ferocious, unstoppable and a moment that jolted Newcastle from their stride in the closing minutes of the first period.
That is a 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 strike.
We’re level again at St Andrew’s through Tomoki Iwata’s goal — and you’re going to want to watch this one…#BIRNEW | #BCFC
🎥 @BBCSportpic.twitter.com/PU737OOZvj
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) February 8, 2025
It wasn’t the only stunning goal scored in the FA Cup on Saturday, with Jamie Donley’s brilliant piece of improvisation putting his side ahead against Manchester City earlier in the day (albeit it eventually went down as an own goal), but for power and ferocity there was no equalling it.
Phil Buckingham
Is Wilson finally back as a goalscoring force?
Callum Wilson’s first start for Newcastle in the FA Cup was only his third in all competitions since December 2023, an indication of just how badly the striker’s career has been scarred by injury.
On an evening which raised plenty of questions about the depth of Howe’s squad – three transfer windows have elapsed without the first-XI being strengthened – Wilson’s return from a hamstring problem was a positive development.
Given the 32-year-old’s suspect fitness record, what follows can only ever be a statement surrounded by caveats, but on this kind of form Wilson remains a formidable presence as well as a regular source of goals. Alexander Isak needs competition and Newcastle need a back-up.
Wilson was hugely influential in Newcastle’s controversial equaliser, curling a great cross to the far post which Birmingham found impossible to defend. His goal was a classic sniffer’s finish, raising his boot to prod the ball across the line after Willock’s shot had been blocked by Osula.
Callum Wilson was back on the scoresheet (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)
Alan Shearer, Newcastle’s record goalscorer, called Wilson a “six-yard player,” on the BBC’s television coverage which was very much a compliment. “That’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a great skill to have. He’s alive and quicker and gets there beyond anyone else. He’s brilliant at that.”
Wilson was aggressive and physical and looked eager to make up for time lost. His contract is up at the end of the season and, as Shearer said, “he’ll want another.” In terms of quality, this would be a no-brainer. In terms of reliability, it is something else entirely.
George Caulkin
What next for Birmingham?
Tuesday: Cambridge United (H), League One (7.45pm; 2.45pm ET)
What next for Newcastle?
Saturday: Manchester City (A), Premier League (3pm; 10am ET)
(Top photo: Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)
