Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher is back to assess the key incident from Aston Villa's defeat at Manchester United...
Manchester United 2-0 Aston Villa
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Morgan Rogers disallowed goal
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers was controversially denied a goal after referee Thomas Bramall ruled he fouled Altay Bayindir, blowing the whistle before the ball hit the net and preventing VAR from intervening
INCIDENT: Aston Villa thought they had taken the lead in the second half when Morgan Rogers poked the ball free from Altay Bayindir and curled it into an open net, only for referee Thomas Bramall to disallow the goal for an alleged foul on the Manchester United goalkeeper.
The referee awarded a free-kick to United, with Bayindir deemed to be in control of the ball.
How the incident unfolded
Villa were down to 10 players after Emiliano Martinez's red card late in the first half, but thought they went ahead midway through the second period with the game still at 0-0.
Under little pressure, Man Utd goalkeeper Altay Bayindir made a mess of sliding onto the ball in his box. Villa's Morgan Rogers dislodged the ball before swivelling and firing into the empty net, seemingly giving the visitors the lead. At the time, the goal would have seen Villa climb into the Champions League places with fewer than 20 minutes left on the final day of the season.
The goal was disallowed by referee Thomas Bramall, who adjudged Rogers to have kicked the ball out of Bayindir's grasp. However, replays showed the United 'keeper had lost possession before Rogers' intervention.
Because Bramall blew the whistle before the goal was scored, VAR could not intervene and the goal did not stand.
DERMOT SAYS: "There's a lot of things to debate. The goalkeeper loses the ball but once the referee blows his whistle the game is terminated - that's where the damage is done. Rogers' shot doesn't count. If the referee takes just one second the landscape then moves and VAR can intervene. Once VAR intervenes he may have changed his decision at the screen. It's very untidy.
"The VAR checks when the whistle was blown, not the goal. That's the key issue.
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"If he had waited, the time is still his own and he can make as many decisions as he wants. He can ask his assistants. Then he can ask VAR. He may have said, 'it's a foul', which we would have accepted.
"He just didn't give himself time to think - that's his only mistake."
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The disallowed goal that cost Villa CL...
Morgan Rogers challenges Altay Bayindir before scoring a goal that was later ruled out by referee Thomas Bramall
Morgan Rogers kicks the ball away from Altay Bayindir before scoring only for the goal to be disallowed by referee Thomas Bramall
Morgan Rogers scores after kicking the ball away from Altay Bayindir only for the goal to be disallowed by referee Thomas Bramall
Were Villa right to question Bramall's experience?
Aston Villa have made an official complaint to PGMOL over the selection of Bramall for their Premier League final-day match against Man Utd, which Champions League-chasing Villa lost after having a goal controversially ruled out.
On Sunday evening Villa confirmed a complaint had been made, saying: "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.
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VILLA COMPLAIN
Aston Villa's director of football operations Damian Vidagany interrupted manager Unai Emery's press conference to confirm the club will make an official complaint about referee selection
"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 second-least experienced."
Former Premier League referee Gallagher said: "Firstly, there wasn't 17 officials available because some were ruled out. For example, Chris Kavanagh refereed the Championship play-off final on Saturday so it is impossible to referee successive games. That's a very experienced referee ruled out.
"John Brooks, a very experienced FIFA referee, is injured. Paul Tierney, another very experienced referee, is injured. They also try not to send the same referee to a team in 30 days, so that rules other refs out who have refereed Villa and Man Utd.
"It's not as easy as you think.
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ref watch Aston Villa
The Ref Watch panel debate whether Aston Villa should have questioned the experience of referee Thomas Bramall in their complaint to PGMOL
"Going back to Bramall, let's not now start jabbing a finger at him because he's had 11 Premier League games and 12 in the Championship. That's 23 games at the highest level.
"The Man City vs Bournemouth game has two red cards in it. It was a difficult game but he got both decisions correct, proving he can make big decisions. He refereed the game where Liverpool won the championship, a big game.
"He's been there three years, he's coming through. Let's be fair, we are talking about one decision out of a possible 300."
'Referee needs to learn from incident'
Sue Smith on Sky Sports News:
"The referee has to learn to give himself a moment. If he had, then VAR could have got involved. It's difficult to see from the referee's position if the goalkeeper had got the ball so VAR would have had a better angle to see he wasn't in control. The goal should have stood."
'The game needed a more experienced official'
Stephen Warnock on Sky Sports News:
"I think you need a bigger character on the game. You are going to Old Trafford and Aston Villa are chasing Champions League football. There's potentially £100m on the line.
"There might be that one moment where you need a big call, you need a calm head and you need experience.
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Morgan Rogers disallowed goal
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers was controversially denied a goal after referee Thomas Bramall ruled he fouled Altay Bayindir, blowing the whistle before the ball hit the net and preventing VAR from intervening
"Sadly for Bramall, it happened, and now Aston Villa are paying the price for that.
"It's a huge decision. The referee has made an error, it's a bad error and he will learn from it, but for a game of that magnitude... it's not that it is not acceptable because it happens.
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VILLA DISSALOWED GOAL
Clinton Morrison and Mike Dean look at why Aston Villa were not awarded a goal despite hitting the back of the net
"I'd scrap VAR tomorrow and I'd rather go back to refereeing games properly, and just accepting that things even themselves out over the course of a season.
McGinn slams 'incredible' decision that cost Villa CL
Villa captain John McGinn slammed the "incredible" decision to rule out Rogers' goal at Old Trafford during the 2-0 defeat which cost the visitors a spot in the Champions League. Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, McGinn said: "Tough to take, especially in the circumstances.
"No one in the dressing room or watching felt like we deserved to win. Man Utd were the better team but the decision is incredible.
"Everyone, when VAR was implemented, wanted correct decisions. I know it is the rule but it is so hard to take, especially with the impact it has on us.
"To whistle at that point, it is hard to take. All you need is a point to get into the Champions League."
"However, while VAR is there, that is the moment where you just have to let the game breathe for a second. That's where you rely on that experience to be able to do that.
"He just got it wrong. In hindsight, a senior official might make the same decision. However, you'd like to think they would have given themselves that breathing space to think about the situation."