Aston Villa plan to lodge an official complaint with the Premier League following a controversial decision made by referee Thomas Bramall in their 2-0 loss to Manchester United. The result meant Villa missed out on a Champions League spot due to goal difference, finishing sixth in the standings.
Controversial call denies Villa goal
The turning point of the match occurred while the score was still 0-0 and Aston Villa were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Morgan Rogers appeared to put Villa ahead after challenging United’s keeper Altay Bayindir and scoring, but the goal was disallowed. Referee Bramall ruled that Bayindir had control of the ball with both hands, even though replays suggested otherwise.
Because the whistle was blown before the ball crossed the line, the VAR was unable to review or overturn the decision. United capitalized shortly after when Amad Diallo opened the scoring with a header, and Christian Eriksen later converted a penalty to seal the win.
Villa criticize referee selection
Speaking after the match, Aston Villa’s director of football Damian Vidagany expressed frustration not just at the disallowed goal, but at the appointment of Bramall to oversee such a high-stakes match. Bramall, 35, is one of the less experienced referees in the Premier League.
Vidagany stated that the club’s complaint would focus on the choice of official rather than the call itself. “It’s not about the decision, clearly it was a mistake,” he said. “The problem is why the international referees were not here today.” He emphasized that Villa were dissatisfied that such a critical fixture was assigned to a referee with limited top-flight experience.
Emery reacts to crucial errors
Manager Unai Emery was visibly frustrated after the match, particularly with the incident involving Rogers’ disallowed goal and the late penalty awarded to United. Emery acknowledged that video footage clearly showed the disputed moment but noted that nothing could be done once play had been stopped. “It was a mistake. A big mistake,” he said.
