Unai Emery says Aston Villa were denied a “clear penalty” following their 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Morgan Rogers had appeals waved away by referee Sam Barratt after the half-hour mark, having gone to ground inside the box from Elliott Anderson’s pull on his left arm.
VAR checked the incident but determined it was not a penalty, deeming Anderson’s challenge to be a “fleeting grab” and not enough to “prevent the player playing the ball”.
At the end of his press conference, after the final question, Emery broached the penalty subject and insisted it was a clear penalty. Typically, the Spaniard rarely disagrees publicly with VAR or referee’s decision-making.
“Now I have watched it, it’s a clear penalty,” said Emery. “It’s a massive mistake from the VAR. Today the VAR is a big mistake because it was clear, he had an advantage.
“OK, not the referee. I respect the referee and I respect the VAR, but the VAR is to help the referees. We watched it after as Damian (Vidagany, director of football operations) showed me because everybody is VAR. We are watching it on TV, it’s a clear penalty. Where is the VAR?”
Two goals in five minutes, including Anthony Elanga’s winner in additional time, meant Villa registered a fourth successive Premier League away loss for the first time since August 2022 under Steven Gerrard.
Villa are next in action at home to Manchester City next Saturday.
(Aston Villa/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
