MANCHESTER (CONVERSEER) – Aston Villa are set to file an official complaint to the Premier League following their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on the final day of the 2024/25 season, citing concerns over the appointment of referee Thomas Bramall.
According to The Athletic, Villa believe the high-stakes fixture, which had UEFA Champions League qualification implications, warranted a more experienced match official than Bramall, who has taken charge of only 11 Premier League matches this season and regularly officiates in the Championship.
The Midlands club were left furious after two key incidents in the match at Old Trafford that contributed to their defeat. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent off in the first half for a rash challenge on United striker Rasmus Højlund outside the penalty area.
Later in the match, with the score still 0-0, Morgan Rogers had the ball in the net after capitalising on a moment of hesitation from United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır. However, Bramall had already blown for a foul on the keeper, ruling out the goal and preventing any VAR intervention.
United went on to win the game with second-half goals from Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen, the latter converting a penalty, to secure three points and deny Villa a Champions League spot. Newcastle’s loss to Everton in a simultaneous fixture meant a win would have seen Villa qualify for Europe’s elite competition.
READ ALSO: Sunderland secure Premier League return after dramatic Wembley victory
Speaking after the match, Villa captain John McGinn expressed disbelief over the disallowed goal.
“The decision is incredible. Everyone wanted the correct decisions when VAR was implemented. In rugby, if a try is given then it can be overturned if it’s wrong. I know the rule but it’s hard on us. For him to blow his whistle at that point, it’s really, really tough to handle. It’s a really costly one. We only needed a point to reach the Champions League.”
Villa manager Unai Emery also commented on the officiating, stating: “I spoke with the referee and he knows his mistakes. It’s normal, I make mistakes every day. 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.”
Despite Villa’s intent to raise an official protest, it remains unclear what the club hopes to achieve. A replay is
