Aston Villa have written to PGMOL after referee Thomas Bramall controversially disallowed Morgan Rogers goal against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday
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Sport
21:46, 25 May 2025
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers (centre right) and team-mates react after referee Thomas Bramall disallows his goal
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers (centre right) and team-mates react after referee Thomas Bramall disallows his goal
(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Aston Villa have confirmed they have written to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) after Morgan Rogers’ goal against Manchester United was disallowed.
Rogers put the ball into the empty net in the 74th minute at Old Trafford after disposessing United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
But the goal was disallowed with referee Thomas Bramall having blown his whistle for a foul on Bayindir by Rogers, who poked the ball out of the goalkeeper's grasp.
Because Bramall had blown his whistle and therefore effectively stopped play, the VAR could not overturn the decision, which looked to be incorrect. The goal would have put Villa 1-0 up but Unai Emery’s side lost the match 2-0 and crucially missed out on qualification for the Champions League.
Villa issued a statement on Sunday evening questioning the decision to appoint the inexperienced Bramall to such a high-stakes match The club said: “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.
“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 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.
“Ultimately, we acknowledge that the outcome for us will not change, but we believe that it is important to address the selection methodology to ensure that high stakes matches are treated as such with regards to officiating and to ensure that the implemented VAR technology is allowed to be effective.”
Villa, who went down to 10 men in first-half stoppage time when Emi Martinez was sent off, will play in the Europa League next season after finishing in sixth place.
Emery said: "The TV is clear but, of course, we have to accept it. It was a mistake. A big mistake."