Unai Emery’s team needed a victory to keep their Champions League qualification hopes alive, but controversy struck when goalkeeper Altay Bayindir appeared to lose control of the ball, allowing Morgan Rogers to capitalize. ..Continue Reading
Rogers slotted the ball into an empty net, but the referee had already blown his whistle, ruling out the goal.
Villa’s frustration deepened when Amad Diallo scored at the other end, putting United ahead.
The home side later doubled their lead before the final whistle, but had Villa taken the lead and held on, they would have secured a Champions League spot based on other results.
Explaining the decision on Sky Sports News, Dean said: “He has got to get the ball the keeper. It has hit one hand and then it has come out on it’s own accord.
“The attacker is free and every right to go for the ball. He hasn’t got the ball under contract a goal should be given. The only thing I would say is because I haven’t got comms on here, did the whistle go before?”
Clinton Morrison, who was on the punditry panel, added: “Yeah it did, the whistle went before.” To which Dean replied: “It won’t be a goal then.”
Morrison continued: “I think the goal doesn’t stand because he blew his whistle before the ball went into the net. It’s a bad mistake. That could cost Villa in the end. It’s such a bad decision. I could watch it 50 times and it’s always a goal.”
Dean went on to confirm referee Thomas Bramall ignored the directive for officials to delay blowing their whistle, saying: “I think it is a goal. The referee has probably watched it in real time and at real speed and from his view it looks like the keeper has two hands on it, which he hasn’t.
“The issue he has got is the refs are told to wait a couple of seconds. If he waits two seconds more and then blows his whistle it’s not a problem because you can award a goal then. Because you have blown too early there is nothing you can do.”
An update shared by the Premier League Match Centre on X, explained: “The referee’s call was a free kick to Manchester United with Bayindir deemed to be in control of the ball before Rogers gained possession.
“The whistle was blown by the referee before the ball entered the goal, therefore the incident was not reviewable by the VAR.”
Villa had played the entirety of the second half with 10 men after Emiliano Martinez was shown a straight red card for a last-man challenge.
It marks a disappointing end to the season for Emery’s side, who will have to settle for a spot in the Europa League instead.
