(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Fri 1 May 2026 6:45, UK

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Aston Villa were beaten 1-0 away at Nottingham Forest in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night.

The Villans played out a tight affair in the first encounter at the City Ground, but Chris Wood’s penalty in the 71st minute ultimately handed the Reds an advantage going into the second leg.

Forest’s slender lead heading into next week’s return fixture has put Unai Emery’s side under pressure to get a result, but the boss clearly felt that things could have been different on Thursday night if not for the referee.

Villa were left fuming when Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson lunged into a challenge on Ollie Watkins during the first half and planted his studs into the striker’s ankle, with both referee Joao Pinheiro and the VAR team deciding that the contact wasn’t enough to warrant a red card.

A different view of that decision could have changed the whole complexion of the tie, but as things stand, Villa have it all to do going into the second leg on home turf.

Unai Emery explodes over ‘crazy’ Elliot Anderson decision

Villa slipped to a 1-0 defeat away at Fulham last week, and they were unable to bounce back from that result, as they came out on the wrong side of a one-goal game again at the City Ground.

However, the lack of action regarding Anderson’s challenge has clearly left a bitter taste in the mouth for Emery and his team, and he made that obvious in his post-match interview.

The Spaniard demanded an explanation from the officiating team as to why a red card wasn’t shown for the tackle, and also suggested that it could have resulted in Watkins breaking his ankle.

“It’s a huge mistake,” the 54-year-old said after full-time.

“Watkins was close to breaking his ankle. He (Pinheiro) must give us an explanation about it because it’s crazy. Watching the action is crazy.

“Of course, the referee can’t watch it back like me, but with an action like that, it doesn’t make sense because it’s so clear, there is no doubt. Where is the doubt?”

A red card would have also seen Anderson suspended for the second leg at Villa Park, something which Emery clearly feels would have been a deserved punishment for the England international.

Ex-refs chief baffled by Anderson controversy vs Aston Villa

Ex-FIFA referee and former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett was similarly perplexed by Pinheiro’s decision, as he told Football Insider on Thursday night that Anderson should have been sent off for his challenge.

The former official made it clear that the midfielder’s tackle was made with “excessive force,” while also being “reckless” and endangering the safety of his opponent.

Hackett indicated that Anderson’s action had all the hallmarks of a challenge which should have been punished for serious foul play, and he also acknowledged that Pinheiro’s call to do nothing was “clearly not an option.”

His surprise at the lack of punishment for Anderson has been shared across the footballing world, and it was a damning reflection on Thursday night’s officiating team to see a former chief condemn their error as well.