Aston Villa had a goal controversially ruled out during their 2-0 loss against Manchester United which condemned them to a sixth-place finish and saw them miss out on the Champions League
Comments
Sport
20:05, 25 May 2025
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa reacts towards Referee Thomas Bramall (obscured) after scoring a goal which was ruled out by VAR during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Aston Villa FC at Old Trafford on May 25, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins - AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Aston Villa have been left furious(Image: Marc Atkins - AVFC/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Furious Aston Villa will make a formal complaint to the Premier League after a refereeing controversy cost them a Champions League place. Morgan Rogers put Villa ahead in the 73rd minute, but saw the goal disallowed after referee Thomas Bramall ruled he kicked the ball out of the hands of Manchester United keeper Altay Bayindir.
Villa were left fuming at the decision, which consigned them to the Europa League, after the defeat meant they finished sixth and missed out on a Champions League spot on goal difference. Officials from Villa confirmed a formal complaint will be made on the grounds that 35-year-old Bramall was too inexperienced to take charge of a match with so much at stake.
Villa Director of Football Operations, Damian Vidagany, said: “The complaint is not about the decision. The complaint is about the selection of the referees. One of the most inexperienced referees for one of the most difficult matches of the season, involving another four or five teams.
“The decision is clear. It's a mistake. The referee apologised for the mistake. We can do nothing. The problem is why the experienced international referees were not here today.”
Villa boss Unai Emery said: “The key moment was of course the goal and how the referee decided the action. He knows he made a mistake. With this goal, maybe we could get a better result and a Champions League place, but we didn’t deserve more than the result we got.”
READ MORE: Sky Sports confirms major Premier League changes ahead of last day of seasonREAD MORE: Aston Villa launch Premier League complaint after major Man Utd controversy
Villa captain John McGinn said: “It’s tough to take in the circumstances. The decision is incredible. It's so hard to take, especially with the impact that it has on us. As a team and as a club, it's so big.
“We didn’t deserve to win, but at that point you’re 1-0 up with 20 minutes to go, and all you need is a point to get in the Champions League, so it’s a really costly one.”
Should Aston Villa have been awarded the goal? Have your say in the comments section.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Unai Emery, Manager of Aston Villa, reacts towards Referee, Thomas Bramall during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Aston Villa FC at Old Trafford on May 25, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Unai Emery waited for Thomas Bramall after the final whistle
United boss Ruben Amorim apologised to their fans for a “disastrous” season – then promised them “good days are coming”. Amorim said: “I want to apologise for this season. I know you are really disappointed with me and with the team.
“Now we have to make a choice. We fight each other or we stick together and move forward. After this disastrous season, I want to tell you the good days are coming.”
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.