Villa to Appeal Referee Selection After Costly Error

Aston Villa will formally lodge a complaint with the Premier League over the appointment of inexperienced referee Thomas Bramall in their decisive 2-0 loss to Manchester United, which denied them Champions League qualification. Bramall blew his whistle for a foul on United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before Morgan Rogers scored, making the play unreviewable by VAR despite replays showing Bayindir lacked full control of the ball. The referee later admitted the error, and former officials have criticized him for not delaying the whistle as instructed, which Villa manager Unai Emery called a turning point. Manchester United scored twice after the disallowed goal, leaving Villa sixth on goal difference and relegated to the Europa League. Villa's complaint argues that a more experienced official should have overseen such a high-stakes match. The club faces estimated financial losses of over £100 million from missed Champions League revenue.