Aston Villa filed a formal complaint with Professional Game Officials Limited (PGMOL) in referee Thomas Bramall’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United, which resulted in a barely missed in the UEFA Champions League qualification.
Controversy broke out when Morgan Rogers seemed to put Villa in the lead after Emiliano Martinez was fired, when the game was still shocking and Villa lowered 10 players.
Rogers managed to poke the ball out of the box’s joint goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and insert the ball into the net.
However, Bramall judged that Bayindir had grabbed the ball with both hands, and although the replay showed up, his whistle foul was made before the ball crossed the line.
VAR was unable to review the decision as the game was stopped before the goal was scored.
Amad Diallo opened the scoring for United almost immediately after not allowing the goal, while Christian Eriksen’s later penalty won.
The loss made Villa ranked sixth in goal difference, missing the coveted Champions League.
Aston Villa can confirm that the club has written to PGMOL to raise concerns about the choice of match officials after the match against Manchester United.
The club has such a high stake in today’s fixtures, and the club believes in an experienced referee… pic.twitter.com/ma09u4gloq
— Aston Villa (@avfcomial) May 25, 2025
Villa’s football action director Damian Vidagany expressed the club’s anger in a post-match commentary: “We will issue a complaint. The complaint is not about the decision, but about the choice of the referee – one of the most inexperienced coaches in the Premier League.
“It has nothing to do with the decision, it’s obviously a mistake. The complaint is about the referee. The question is why the international referee is not here today.”
Initially, Villa planned to address their concerns about the Premier League, but later confirmed that they wrote directly to PGMOL. In the letter, Villa argued that “more experienced referees” should oversee such high-stakes matches.
The club’s statement reads: “Of the 10 referees hosted in the Premier League today, Mr Bramar is the second experience.”
“The decision to ban Morgan Rogers’ goal would give the club a 1-0 lead with 17 minutes left in the game, which is the main factor in the club’s absence from the Champions League.
“We acknowledge that the results will not change, but we believe it is important to address the selection method to ensure that the moderators are evaluated by officials and to ensure that the VAR technology allowed to be implemented effectively.”
Bramall made his Premier League debut in August 2022, hosting 11 top matches and 12 championship matches this season.
Villa Manager Unai Emery was obviously frustrated by the controversial call, especially the ban on goals and Manchester United’s late play. After the game, he said: “TV is clear, but of course, we have to accept it. It’s a mistake. It’s a big mistake.”
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