An Aston Villa goal was ruled out after Morgan Rogers was adjudged to have committed a foul on United goalkeeper Altair Bayindir
Aston Villa have formally lodged a complaint with the Premier League and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) concerning the appointment of referee Thomas Bramall for their decisive 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on the final day of the Premier League season.
The club argue that the selection of Bramall, who has officiated only 11 Premier League matches this season and alternates between top-flight and Championship games, was inappropriate for a match with significant implications for Champions League qualification.
“Aston Villa can confirm the club has written to the PGMOL to raise concerns over the selection process of match officials following today’s game with Manchester United at Old Trafford,” the club’s statement read. “With such high stakes surrounding today’s fixture, the club believe a more experienced referee should have been appointed. Of the 10 referees to officiate across the Premier League today, Mr. Bramall was the 2nd least experienced.”
The controversy centres around a key moment in the 73rd minute of the game when Villa’s Morgan Rogers was adjudged to have illegally dispossessed United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and scored. Current belief – without PGMOL having commented on the matter – is that because Bramall had already blown his whistle for a foul before the ball crossed the line, the incident could not be reviewed by VAR.
Villa’s official statement expressed frustration over the early whistle, stating: “The decision to disallow Morgan Rogers’ goal, which would have given the club a 1-0 lead with 17 minutes remaining in the match, was a major contributing factor to the club not qualifying for the Champions League.
“As per the standards that have been established over the course of the season, a decision to whistle early is clearly inconsistent with current refereeing guidelines. VAR exists to ensure that these types of situations receive the scrutiny they deserve. Unfortunately, the technology was not allowed to serve its purpose.”
Villa captain John McGinn also voiced his disappointment after the match.
“The decision [on the Rogers goal] is incredible,” said McGinn. “Everyone wanted the correct decisions when VAR was implemented.
“For him to blow his whistle at that point, it’s really, really tough to handle. It’s a really costly one. We only needed a point to reach the Champions League.”
Manager Unai Emery claimed Bramall knew he had made an error.
“I spoke with the referee and he knows his mistakes,” said Emery. “It’s normal, I make mistakes every day. Players make mistakes on the field. Sometimes with referees, we have to accept mistakes. I believe in VAR and we have very good referees in the Premier League.”
The Premier League and PGMOL have yet to comment publicly on the incident.
