Aston Villa has written to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), demanding an investigation into officiating controversies during their 38th Premier League match against Manchester United.
Villa were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford in the final game of the season and finished outside the Champions League spots, a development they believe was due, in part, to poor officiating.
In the first half, Emiliano Martínez was shown a red card during added time.
However, the club’s primary concern was referee Mr. Bramall’s decision to disallow Morgan Rogers’ goal, which would have given Villa a 1-0 lead with 17 minutes remaining. They believe this decision caused the team to lose focus and ultimately lose the match.
“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 believes a more experienced referee should have been appointed. Of the 10 referees officiating across the Premier League today, Mr. Bramall was the second 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 it is important to address the selection methodology to ensure that high-stakes matches are treated accordingly with regard to officiating and to ensure that the implemented VAR technology is allowed to be effective.”
Although Aston Villa finished the season with 66 points, the same as Newcastle United, they failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League due to an inferior goal difference.
