Many Aston Villa supporters will be feeling pretty upset after realising that their team could have been awarded a penalty during the most recent game.
A single goal from Bukayo Saka was enough to give Arsenal a 1-0 away win over the Villans at Villa Park in the Premier League this weekend.
However, things could have been different had the VAR opted to intervene during one controversial movement. Indeed, in the 41st minute of the game, Thomas Partey seemed to have a hold of Tyrone Mings in the Gunners’ penalty box, preventing him from fairly attacking a Douglas Luiz cross.
On the BBC’s live report of the game, Matthew Howarth wrote: “I’ve just seen a replay of that Arsenal corner. Thomas Partey had his arms wrapped around Tyrone Mings as the Villa captain looked to get on the end of Douglas Luiz’s ball in.
“No intervention from the video assistant referee on this occasion.”
TIF Thoughts on Aston Villa and the result…
Whenever a defending player wraps their arms around an opposition attacker in their own penalty box, they are certainly running the risk of giving away a penalty. And with VAR technology now implemented in all Premier League games, Villa fans will have a right to wonder why this particular moment was not reviewed.
BT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher expressed his thoughts on the matter during the game, saying (via Transfer Tavern): “It can’t be much more blatant than that unless you wrestle him to the ground, can it?”
Did Villa deserve a penalty for this incident?
Yes
No
Funnily enough, this is not the first time Mings has been denied a penalty this season. Against Southampton, Oriol Romeu pulled the Aston Villa captain back as he tried to win a header. That moment also went unpunished and left former referee Keith Hackett stunned by the call.
He told Football Insider: “The shirt was extended for about a foot from the body. It was so clear. Where was the assistant referee? Where was VAR? Where was the referee?”
Despite it all, on this most recent occasion, Arsenal escaped with the three points as Steven Gerrard’s men were left empty-handed. Villa remains 12 points off West Ham United, who currently hold the lowest-ranked European spot, and results like that won’t help them finish any higher than mid-table at best this season.
Perhaps they’ll need a little more luck next time out.
In other news: Shocking: Aston Villa supporters will be furious as West Ham image emerges – opinion