John McGinn has called for a change in the way VAR is operated after Aston Villa Omtend had excluded an ending in a defeat against Manchester United who cost them Champions League football.
Amad Diallo was on goal and Christian Eriksen yielded a penalty when United sustained 2-0 winners in Old Trafford, so that Villa-Die-Die Emiliano Martinez had sent the top five in the sixth on the Rust-Buiten.
Before United took the lead, Morgan Rogers had the ball at the back of the net when he apparently brought Altay Bayindir to the ball and just rolled in an unguarded.
Referee Thomas Bramall, however, had already blown his whistle before Rogers scored, which means that the VAR was unable to intervene, even if they wanted to.
Speaking with TNT Sports after the game, a depressed McGinn said: “They were the better team and were on the front. But the decision is incredible.
“I think everyone wanted the right decisions when the VAR was implemented. You look at rugby, even when the referee has granted an attempt, and it is wrong, it is destroyed.
“It is so hard to take, especially when the impact it has on us is as great as a club and a team.
“It is really hard to take and handle it. I don't think we deserve to win, but if you were 1-0 at that time and everything you need is a point to go to the Champions League, it's expensive.
“The rule must be viewed in the future because the right decisions were not made at the end of the day. I think that [referee] Thomas [Bramall] knew.
“It was probably not fair at that time. The boys were stripped. But European football for three years in a row, we have to hold and see what will entail next season.”
1 -Emiliano MartÃnez is the first goalkeeper Opta since 2003-04 has record to make five saves and to be sent in the first half of a Premier League match. Roller-coaster. pic.twitter.com/lur32SFNCS
– Optajoe (@Optajoe) 25 May 2025
Asked if Bramall had accepted that he had made a mistake, McGinn added: “He didn't really know what to say.
“Because of the impact it has on us as players and our career, the club, you are clearly angry. I think he is a young referee who has been advanced very quickly.
“Maybe we can look at more experienced referees. I don't know. It's just an incredible decision and makes it even worse than it should be today.”
Villa only collected one shot on goal and six in general to the respective 10 and 25 of United, with the expected goals of the visitors (XG) a measly 0.4 compared to the Red Devils 2.9.
The men of Ruben Amorim also had more accents in the opposition box (51 to 18), great opportunities (four to zero) and last third entries (66 to 44).
And McGinn acknowledged that his side fell short and said: “Tough game, especially in the circumstances.
“I don't think someone in the dressing room or someone who looked at the game, felt that we deserved to win. Manchester United deserved to win.”
Villa Boss Unai Emery was just frustrated by the decision and said: “The TV is clearly with the move, but of course we have to accept it. It was a mistake. A big mistake.
“The game that we played in 90 minutes, with the red card and this goal was not allowed. It was an important moment.
“But in general 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 maintain the result.
“We did not perform enough today to get a good result, but we could get it, in case some decisions were not as it was.”
When asked if he had spoken with the official, Emery added: “Yes, I told him, but he knows.”