Aston Villa manager Unai Emery speaking to TNT Sports on Morgan Rogers’ disallowed goal: “Good evening. The TV is clear with the move but of course, we have to accept it. It was a mistake. A big mistake.
“The match we played overall in 90 minutes with the red card and this goal disallowed, it was a key moment. but overall, they did more. But we showed resilience with one player less. We could have scored one goal and it would have been a good opportunity to continue and keep the result. We didn’t perform enough today to get a good result but we could get it, in case some decision weren’t like it was.”
On whether he has talked to referee about the incident: “Yes, I told him but he knows it.”
On whether the referee admitted it was a mistake: “The next question?”
On whether VAR rules need to be changed: “I don’t want to speak about VAR now.”
On Aston Villa’s season: “We did a big effort during the second part of the season. We lost the chance to be in the top five during the first half. I was happy with how we progressed in the season and achieved the opportunity to play today for the Champions League position.
“We got the Europa League and we have to be more or less happy about the achievement. But we were close to the Champions League. We have to be happy and proud of everything we did but we always want to improve. We need to keep going and the Premier League is the most difficult league and to get Europe through the league is difficult.”
Emery later suggested in his post-game news conference that Bramall had acknowledged an error. “I spoke with the referee and he knows his mistakes,” Emery said.
“It’s normal, I make mistakes every day. Today, I made mistakes. Players make mistakes on the field. Sometimes with referees, we have to accept mistakes. I believe in VAR and we have very good referees in the Premier League.”
“We are in Europe, we have to be happy” 🏆
Unai Emery reacts after his side’s controversial defeat to Man Utd, and reflects on the season as his Aston Villa side make the Europa League for next season 🇪🇺
🎙️ @julesbreach | 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/CBboe1Hnkc
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 25, 2025
Unai’s post-match thoughts. pic.twitter.com/5WGu8qxrSv
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 25, 2025
“The decision is incredible” 🤯
John McGinn rues the decision made to disallow Morgan Rogers’ goal, when the game was poised at 0-0, and questions the use of VAR.
🎙️ @julesbreach | 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/NzpId0HahY
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 25, 2025
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Difficult week. Tough on everybody. But it was good spirits from the players and supporters today. So we finished a terrible and hard season with a win. It’s a good feeling.
“We are trying. We had momentum in other games like this. In the [Europa League] final, we were clearly the strong team. But sometimes we do not score. We had so many chances today. We are improving but we have a lot more to do next season.
“It’s a special club with special people. We already know that. That’s why it’s so hard to disappoint them when we play badly. It was a tough season, but this club is more than this and we will try to do better next season.
“We need to acknowledge it will take time. We are going to suffer a little bit more but better days are coming. We are changing things that you can’t see in the results. You can’t see today but they are there. It’s in the culture. It’s the way we behave and do things every day.”
On Aston Villa’s disallowed goal: “I didn’t see the goal. But if it’s not the right decision, the manager should be frustrated.”
On summer transfer plans: “You know better than me that we have rules with FFP. We can’t change that in this year. We need to do something in the summer. we have a plan and we are doing that in a while. We also have a preseason to improve the players we have.”
🚨 Aston Villa plan to make official complaint to PL after loss at Man Utd denies club CL qualification. #AVFC feel a more experienced referee should have been selected to officiate game of such magnitude. PL have been approached for comment @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/qfTMOZx7Jt
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) May 25, 2025
As per David Ornstein, Aston Villa plan to make official complaint to the Premier League after their loss at Man Utd denies the club Champions League qualification.
Aston Villa feel a more experienced referee should have been selected to officiate game of such magnitude.
Bramall, 35, was promoted to Select Group 1, the highest level for referees in England, ahead of the 2022-23 season.
Bramall has officiated between the Premier League and Championship, 11 of those games in the top flight and 12 in the second tier, as per Transfermarkt.
Villa were already down to 10 men when Rogers saw his goal disallowed after goalkeeper Emi Martinez had been sent off for a last-man foul on Rasmus Hojlund at the end of the first half.
Unai Emery’s side registered only one shot on target during the game, while United had 10.
Here’s how fans reacted with Aston Villa ‘to lodge an official complaint’ to the Premier League after being left seething…
@creativechrispy: ‘Official Complaint’ isn’t strong enough! With the financial clout NSWE have we should be threatening to sue @premierleague and @FA_PGMOL – If you make a mistake that cost a company millions, you get sacked! Simple as that! #UTV #AVFC
@Aduetto: Wouldn’t bother, will achieve nothing and will happen again to all these fans laughing who don’t support a “Big 6” club. Corrupt to its core and Villa have been fighting it for the last 3 years. #AVFC
@andyroden: Like that’s gonna make any difference 🙄
@VillaViews_: Most of you will disagree but I have to speak my mind: The ref error today was awful and has cost us – but it isn’t ‘corruption’ – it was an error. The guy involved (his name’s appearing too much for me) wishes VAR could have saved him. Gutting but let’s stay classy. #avfc
@Reece_AV: Talk about decisions all you want, Villa weren’t good enough today, another no show in a big game alongside Palace Semi. BUT, not knocking a Europa finish. Go and win it, UTV #AVFC
@Mike_Land10:Did we deserve to win – NoDid we somehow stay in the game – YesDid we grab a goal against the run of play – YesWould we have got UCL from there – I believe so yes!Would we have been lucky yes – 100% yes!But that is football.#avfc
@Ollylb: As a Newcastle fan. That was very very lucky and villa were robbed by @FA_PGMOL. No excuse for us bottling it and giving mini arms a clean sheet. relying on an awful decision to qualify! Really poor, good end result but not deserved based on the performance today. #nufc #avfc
@mcvillerton: The knock on effect of one refereeing decision could irreversibly damage the direction of our club. VAR is supposed to protect clubs from this. The premier league and the @FA_PGMOL are a joke #avfc
