Aston Villa have every right to feel aggrieved after big mistake at Old Trafford… the referee blew his whistle too early, writes MARK CLATTENBURG

Aston Villa have every right to feel aggrieved after referee Tom Bramall blew for a foul by Morgan Rogers on Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before the Villa midfielder rolled the ball into the net.

The law is clear. The goalkeeper needs to have two hands on the ball to be deemed to have control of it. The major issue at Old Trafford, however, was that Bramall had already blown before Rogers scored, which prevented the VAR from getting involved.

Replays then showed that Bayindir did NOT have both hands on the ball when Rogers played it, so the game should have continued and a goal should have been awarded, but the VAR was powerless to do anything about it.

If Bramall had waited until Rogers scored before blowing, the VAR would have been able to make the correct decision at a vital moment in one of the biggest games of the season, with Villa’s Champions League qualification on the line.

The game was in the balance at 0-0. A Villa goal would have changed the game and maybe the result. 

A win would have been enough to seal a Champions League place and all the riches that come with it. Instead, they have to settle for the Europa League. A big mistake which will have a major impact on Aston Villa.