It’s certainly the question the home fans are asking here at Villa Park, with Schar having committed an offence that could easily have resulted in a red card just five minutes before he headed home in front of the Holte End to level the scores at 1-1.
Thirteen minutes had gone when Schar pulled back Watkins to prevent the Villa striker from breaking clear of the Newcastle defence.
Schar was the last man, so referee Jarred Gillett could easily have determined the offence worthy of a straight red card.
The fact that Watkins was perhaps not getting to the through ball was probably the factor that kept Schar on the field.
It proved a crucial moment, as just five minutes later, Schar was levelling the scores with his third goal from his last two visits to Villa Park.
Harvey Barnes turned back onto his right foot and hung up a deep cross to the back post, and having been left completely unmarked, Schar headed home through the legs of Emi Martinez.
Should he have been on the pitch to do that? Quite possibly not. But Newcastle’s Swiss centre-half certainly made the most of his good fortune and Gillett’s lenient approach.
