Exclusive: Bramall guessed on Aston Villa’s Roger’s outrage – PGMOL insider
Thomas Bramall made the mistake to deny Aston Villa the opening goal in their crucial defeat at Manchester United because he guessed at the decision, according to Keith Hackett.
The former head of the PGMOL and an ex-Premier League referee exclusively told Football Insider that the decision in the 2-0 Villa loss at Old Trafford had exposed issues with the VAR process as the video assistant could not rectify the matter.
The fixture at Old Trafford was goalless with Villa looking for a goal that would push them into the Champions League places when Bramall denied the visitors the lead after Morgan Rogers was judged to have fouled goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
As Rogers moved the ball away from Bayindir and slotted home, the whistle was blown on the assumption that the keeper had both hands on the ball. Bramall’s whistle before the ball hit the back of the net meant VAR could not intervene.
Villa went on to lose the game 2-0 and missed out on a place in next season’s Champions League on goal difference.
In an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Hackett previously claimed Villa were robbed of place in the European showcase and a subsequent £100million windfall by refereeing incompetence.
VAR issue exposed in Aston Villa loss at Man United
Hackett said the incident demonstrated a “shortfall” in the VAR process and how it operates the criteria.
The former FIFA official told Football Insider: “I know that VAR can’t come in once the referee has made his call, but in reality the referee has called it from too far away,” he said. “He’s guessed.
“I’ve said it before; you cannot guess these decisions. You have got to be accurate, because that’s the microscopic effect of having 22 cameras.
“You’re refereeing at the Premier League level – it’s going to catch you out. I’m waiting for the PGMOL to come out and justify it like they normally do.”
Bramall was ‘adrift’ as Rogers robbed Bayindir
Also a referee coach, Hackett claimed Bramall was “adrift of play”‘” when the alleged foul took place, while the element of time was also missing as he made his decision.
He said: “We talk about inexperienced referees like Thomas Bramall, but he’s not inexperienced. He’s been refereeing for a long time.
“If you watch Anthony Taylor and even Michael Oliver, they don’t appear to be belting it here, there and everywhere on the pitch when they make those key decisions. They’re in close proximity to play.
“The one thing that they develop in their play is time, and they gain that through their own inbuilt confidence. An ability to gain seconds – that’s what a good referee does.
“This guy’s adrift of play and he makes a guess. You say to referees, do not guess.”
Complaints about events at Old Trafford are to be made and Aston Villa have been tipped to take legal action, but Hackett has also told Football Insider the Villans won’t be able to sue the Premier League.