'Worst option' verdict given on Aston Villa controversy that boosted Newcastle United's Champions League bid

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has delivered his verdict on a controversial decision that played a part in helping Newcastle United qualify for the Champions League.

Eddie Howe’s side suffered a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against Everton on the final day of the Premier League season and that jeopardised their chances of returning to UEFA’s premier club competition for the second time in three seasons. However, the Magpies claimed a Champions League spot to round off a memorable campaign after top five rivals suffered a defeat at Manchester United.

There was more than an element of controversy about the loss at Old Trafford as Villa, who had already been reduced to ten men by a red card shown to goalkeeper Emi Martinez, as Unai Emery’s side were left to bemoan a decision to disallow a ‘goal’ scored by former Middlesbrough winger Morgan Rogers. The England international appeared to beat Red Devils goalkeeper Altay Bayindir to a ball just inside his area before tapping the ball into an empty net. However, referee Thomas Bramall had already blown his whistle after ruling the Turkish stopper had the ball in his hands and under his control before Rogers took possession. His decision to blow early meant the VAR officials were unable to intervene - and former FIFA referee Gallagher has admitted the on-field official should have taken his time and ‘took the worst possible option’ by blowing early.

He told Sky Sports: “I think there are a lot of things to debate if you look at it here. There’s where Rogers makes the challenge, you can’t see it clearly, but when you see the replay, you see the challenge by Rogers on the goalkeeper. I think (Bayindir) loses it and the damage is done here for me because once the referee blows his whistle, the game is terminated so VAR, at that point, doesn’t count. We talk all of the time about players creating time on the ball.

“The referee created one second, I think the landscape moves and VAR can intervene. I wonder if the VAR intervenes, he (Bramall) goes to the screen and he was stop with it (gives the goal). If he changes his decision, I think a lot of people would be happy and accept it. Even if he stops with it, I think we have a situation where it’s more palatable, they will not like it but they will accept it more. Because of what happens, it’s very untidy. I think as it develops, it’s not as easy and the referee has probably taken the worst option for himself at the moment.”

What did Unai Emery say about the decision?

Speaking to the club’s official website: “We scored one goal, and normally this goal, if the referee was under his control, this moment, to wait before to whistle this action, I think it was a goal, after VAR. We watched on the TV. But we are making mistakes, the players, they are making mistakes and the referees, sometimes they are making mistakes. We have to accept it. We lost and we didn’t deserve more.”

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