Premier League release statement amid major Man United v Aston Villa controversy
Aston Villa fell to a devastating defeat against Manchester United on the final day of the Premier League campaign.
Victory for Villa at Old Trafford would have seen them claim a top-five finish in the Premier League, and therefore a place in the Champions League.
However, Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen both scored for United in a 2-0 defeat for Villa, but that does not tell half the story.
Emi Martinez was contentiously sent off late in the first half, while Morgan Rogers had a goal disallowed moments before United went ahead.
Unai Emery was furious at the referee, with the defeat seeing Villa finish the season sixth and outside the top five on goal difference alone.
Rogers controversially denied goal at Old Trafford
Rogers got a toe to the ball before goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could properly gather, before rolling it into an empty net.
However, referee Thomas Bramall blew for a free-kick, adjudging that Rogers had kicked the ball out of Bayindir’s hands.
Replays showed that the United stopper did not have complete control of the ball, though.
Because Bramall had blown his whistle before the ball had crossed the line, VAR could not properly intervene.
| Position | Club | Games played | Goal difference | Points |
| 3. | Manchester City | 38 | +28 | 71 |
| 4. | Chelsea | 38 | +21 | 69 |
| 5. | Newcastle United | 38 | +21 | 66 |
| 6. | Aston Villa | 38 | +7 | 66 |
| 7. | Nottingham Forest | 38 | +12 | 65 |
The Premier League has now released a statement via X (25 May) explaining the decision.
“The referee’s call was a free kick to Manchester United with Bayindir deemed to be in control of the ball before Rogers gained possession,” the statement read.
“The whistle was blown by the referee before the ball entered the goal, therefore the incident was not reviewable by the VAR.”
Aston Villa robbed against Man United
This decision from the referee was truly abysmal. In a season of such fine margins, Villa have missed out on a place in the Champions League as a result of this decision.
Emery was not a happy man down on the sidelines and why would he be? Having put in so much work over the past nine months, his side were let down by a poor decision out of their hands.
While there is a debate to be had over Martinez’s red card, there can be no doubts over this decision. Villa were cheated, and it will cost the West Midlands side millions of pounds.