Aston Villa boss Unai Emery insists referee 'knows his mistakes' as John McGinn laments 'incredible' decision to deny goal at Manchester United
Updated 25/05/2025 at 21:53 GMT+1
Unai Emery spoke to the TNT panel after a refereeing "mistake" cost Aston Villa a goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and potentially a chance of claiming a UEFA Champions League place. Meanwhile, Aston Villa captain John McGinn insisted that the decision was "incredible" and was "tough to take" for his team-mates. United ultimately won the game 2-0.
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Unai Emery insisted the referee Thomas Bramall "knows his mistakes" as Aston Villa missed out on UEFA Champions League football after controversially being denied a goal in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.
Mid-way through the second half at Old Trafford, with the score at 0-0, Morgan Rogers poked the ball out of the hands of United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before prodding it into an empty net.
While the 'keeper did not appear to have full control of the ball, Bramall blew for a foul against Rogers and the goal was disallowed.
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Though it was a contentious decision, VAR was not able to intervene, as Bramall blew his whistle before Rogers’ shot had trickled into the net.
To add to the controversy, minutes later, Amad Diallo put United ahead, before Christian Eriksen converted a late spot kick, to see Villa drop from a Champions League spot to the UEFA Europa League places.
"I don’t want to speak now about VAR," a diplomatic Unai Emery told TNT Sports after the game. "We have to accept it. It was a big mistake. Considering the match we played over the 90 minutes and the red card [for Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez], the disallowed goal was the key moment.
"But overall Manchester United deserved it more. We were resilient, resilient with a player less than United and thought we could score one goal.
"And we had a good opportunity to score, continue being resilient and hold onto the result. But, of course, we didn’t perform enough today to get a good result. We could have got it if some decisions weren’t as they were."
Emery later said in his post-game press conference that Bramall had acknowledged an error.
"I spoke with the referee and he knows his mistakes," Emery said. "It’s normal, I make mistakes every day. Today, I made mistakes. Players make mistakes on the field. Sometimes with referees, we have to accept mistakes. I believe in VAR and we have very good referees in the Premier League."
Villa captain John McGinn labelled the referee's call as "incredible".
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He told TNT Sports: "I don’t think any of us in the dressing room, anyone watching the game, felt like we deserved to win. United deserved to win. They were the better team, on the front foot, and missed loads of chances.
"But the decision is incredible. I think everyone, when VAR was implemented, wanted the correct decisions. They wanted that if it were offside, it would be given offside.
"You watch rugby, if there’s a try given, even if the referee has awarded it, if it’s wrong it should be overturned. If it’s right, the try’s given.
"I know it’s the rule. I’ve seen it happen a couple of times but it’s so, so hard to take, especially given that the impact it has on us as a team and us as a club is so big.
"To blow his whistle at that point is really tough to take and to handle. I don’t think we deserved to win the game but at that point, you’re one up, with 20 to go, all you need is a point to get into the Champions League."
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Cole: ‘They will be seething’
On the decision, TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole agreed with Emery's assessment that Bramall had made a "mistake" and added that Villa would be "seething" because of the decision.
"The referee got it wrong," Cole said. "It was a crucial moment, Villa would have gone 1-0 up with 15 minutes to go and that would have changed the perspective of the game.
"Ultimately, Aston Villa, who have been brilliant in the last few months, just didn’t turn up today.
"They will be seething in that dressing room because the referee did make a mistake. It’s a tough pill to swallow for Aston Villa, for their staff, players and their supporters."
Peter Crouch added: "Regardless of what you think about the decision, the referee has made a mistake.
"As soon as he blows the whistle they can’t look at it in VAR. It’s contentious, but he hasn’t got both hands on the ball and it’s quite clear that the VAR would have 100% intervened and they would have given the goal, and that’s why Aston Villa are fuming.
"Let's not dress this up. Aston Villa didn’t play well. They probably didn’t deserve it in the end. United were the better side. But on that decision it’s quite clearly a goal and a mistake from the referee."
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